


Taking Chances

by Lucky_crane



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2018-01-14
Packaged: 2018-11-02 19:15:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 31,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10950987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucky_crane/pseuds/Lucky_crane
Summary: Set in Logan's point of view.Logan realises sooner rather than later that he wants Rory back in his life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back with another shot at a Rory/Logan story. This is my first multi-chapter fic attempt.
> 
> As usual, I don't own Gilmore Girls.
> 
> The title is taken from a Celine Dion song because a line of it reminds me of when Rory and Logan jumped in an LDB event.

This is stupid. I am so stupid, he thought. The plane hit another air pocket, the body shaking and rattling the passengers and everything in it, but that was the furthest thing from Logan’s mind.

He had just said goodbye to someone who meant so much to him and his heart was broken. He thought he had his life all figured out, he had his father’s dynastic plan as a guide, but all that went out the window the moment Rory Gilmore walked back into his life in Hamburg.

It was miserable thinking about the time they reconnected with each other since their split almost ten years ago when it was probable that today had been the last time he ever saw her. He was now feeling so depressed. He rubbed his tired eyes because he felt like crying. He was such a wuss. If he saw himself right now, he’d beat the crap out of himself.

His Scotch sloshed around the glass as another air pocket hit them. He downed the drink in one go. The flight attendant, who happened to be near him, gave him a small smile.

“Would you like another drink, Mr Huntzberger? I would advise you to be calm, but you’ve had a lot of flights in your belt to know that everything will be all right.”

He looked down at his empty glass and realised it was the third drink he’d had since the plane took off. Great! By the time he arrived in London, he would probably be too drunk to make sense of his life.

“I’ll have a bottle of water, please. How many hours till we touchdown?”

“Only three more hours, sir. I’ll get that water for you.” She left him and he mulled over the recent events again.

Rory. Wonderful, sweet, kind, loving, quirky Rory. Rory Gilmore, the love of his life. He can’t believe he walked away from her, again, from everything they could have shared together. It was clear that she wanted to say more to him when they were at the tango club.

“Are you really gonna marry Odette?”

“That’s the dynastic plan.”

That’s the dynastic plan. He was such an idiot for saying that to her. Screw the dynastic plan!

He glanced at his watch and took the bottled water the flight attendant handed him. In just three hours, he could possibly be making a crucial decision that could affect the outcome of his life and his happiness.

***

Logan climbed up the stairs of the flat he shared with his fiancée with hunched shoulders and a heavy heart. He had made his decision in between the time his bottled water came to when a toddler in the row in front of him spilled her Skittles all over the floor of the first-class compartment of the plane. That took less than half an hour.

He was surprised to find the lights on in the sitting room at 2 am in the morning and even more surprised to find Odette wide awake on the sofa, reading a book.

“Logan,” she said, her French accent unmistakable. “You’re back. How was your flight?”

He dragged his travel bag to the edge of the carpet and sat heavily beside her on the sofa.

“It was okay. Listen, we need to talk,” he said without preliminaries.

“Can I get you anything? Something to drink? You must be tired from the flight.”

He passed his hand over his eyes, sighing. He was tired, but he wanted to get this over with. When he looked at her again, she had closed her book and gave him her full attention, sensing he needed something off his chest.

“We need to talk right now.” He took a deep breath and decided to take the plunge. “I can’t do this anymore. Us, I mean. I’m so sorry.”

She was silent for a while. He felt like a total ass. Although he didn’t love her, it was still unfair of him to end their relationship this way without so much as giving her a hint that he wanted it to be over. I am a colossal ass!

They stared at each other for a couple of minutes, not saying anything. Then, surprisingly, Odette gave him a small smile. He found it quite odd, but relief washed all over him just the same when he saw her smile.

“That’s fine by me,” she said. “If you didn’t end this sooner, I would have done it.”

“Whoa. I can’t believe you feel the same way.” It was his turn to give her a tentative smile. “I was hoping against all odds that you would, just to lessen my guilt a bit.” He paused. “You don’t love me,” he said slowly, realisation dawning on him.

“No, I don’t. And you don’t love me,” she acknowledged. “Apparently, there is someone else in your life. It’s okay, I have known for a while.”

“You have? I’m sorry, Odette. I never meant for this to happen. Only, I love her. I can’t be in this relationship when I love someone else.”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. It was obvious that during the times you were with me, your mind was somewhere else. I don’t blame you. It was our parents who threw us together in this relationship. Both of us just went with the flow. I’m relieved to end this charade before our mothers decide on which china patterns to use at the wedding.”

“Yeah, it would have been disastrous to cancel all their wedding arrangements. So much for the dynastic plans of our fathers.” He smiled ruefully. “I admit, on paper, us together sounded rather a brilliant plan. It’s only—”

“There is no spark between us. That certain je ne sais quoi, it’s lacking in this relationship,” she finished. Both of them nodded in agreement.

“So, is there someone else for you?”

“No, but there could be,” she gave him a wistful smile. “Shortly before I met you, there was this guy in my building in Paris who I liked, and I think he liked me back. We’ve been continuously flirting with each other, up until I moved here in London. I hope he’s still in my building and that he will finally ask me out. Anyway, I will if he won’t.”

“Maybe he will.”

“I hope so.” She smiled again, looking happier as each minute passed. “I’ll be all moved out from here by the week’s end. I never told you, but I miss Paris so much.”

“I’ll book a room at the Dorchester to give you some space, but, hey, if you need any help packing, don’t hesitate to call me.”

“Thanks, but I can handle everything.” She yawned. “It’s getting late, I guess I’m going to bed.” She got up and gave him a hug. “Good luck with this girl.”

“And good luck with your guy in Paris.”

He couldn’t believe that breaking up with his fiancée could go so smoothly. Maybe it was because theirs wasn’t a love match, maybe that was why it was so easy to end the relationship. Whatever it was, he was happy that they both came out unscathed from the split.

As he lay on the sofa that night, waiting for sleep to come, he realised his break-up with Odette was only the beginning of his path back to Rory. He still had his parents to deal with, more importantly, his father. Mitchum Huntzberger will not be happy in the least of what he had done.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan meets with his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Saturday finally came, the day Logan was dreading. He’d had sleepless nights over the past few days just thinking about the different scenarios that could play out. Odette had left on an early morning flight to Paris in her family’s private jet. As she said goodbye to him, she wished him good luck on his meeting with his father.

He arrived at his family’s restaurant early and was ushered into the private dining room he reserved earlier that week. There could be shouting and swearing involved in this meeting, so he made sure that their family’s dirty laundry would not be aired in public. Thank God that it was only him and his father getting together for lunch this time. If his mother were here, crying and hysterics would be involved as well, not to mention stress-smoking. Theirs was a non-smoking restaurant, and that would not be good for public image. Any kind of shouting wouldn’t be good, either.

He chose the wine, nothing too strong so that Mitchum would not behave erratically after the news he would reveal to him. He needed his father sober for this so he can control his temper better. However, he was expecting a minor volcanic eruption still. He also took the liberty to order his father his favourite food, fillet mignon, just to butter him up a bit. Maybe his favourite food would put him in a good mood. He doubted it.

His father arrived at noon on the dot, as punctual as always. He appeared businesslike, as usual, and a bit more intimidating in Logan’s eyes. As Logan shook his hand, a swarm of bees seemed to inhabit his stomach.

“Looking sharp, son,” Mitchum barked in way of a greeting. “Where is your lovely fiancée?”

“Odette has gone to Paris, Dad. It’s just you and me this time.” He fixed his tie unnecessarily, a nervous habit that usually came out when he was with his father.

“So, what’s up? Any trouble with the business here in London? I only arrived yesterday and wasn’t able to catch you at work. Smithers filled me in with the goings-on, everything seems to be in tip-top shape.”

“It is, the business is doing well. The acquisition of the Macfarlane group will be finalised before you know it.” He adjusted his tie again. “Anyway, Dad, I invited you to lunch to discuss a personal matter, not business.”

“Do you need money?”

“I said personal, not financial, Dad.” He shook his head. Why did his father always assume he needed something from him? It’s been years since he needed his help. He had a very decent salary and an ample amount of savings.

“What did you do?” Mitchum gave him a condescending look.

“Lunch is served, Messieurs,” the head waiter interrupted, bringing in their plates of food. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. Bon appétit!”

They said their thanks, then Mitchum turned to his son, ignoring the food. Logan was visibly sweating now despite the pleasant temperature in the room.

Mitchum looked down at his plate. “You ordered my favourite food for me. What did you do, Logan?” His father looked like he would not be trifled with.

“Dad, it’s over between me and Odette. She has gone back to Paris for good. It was an amicable and mutual split.”

“WHAT!” His father became as red as a beet after just a few seconds. He took a sip of wine with shaking fingers, eyeing Logan with contempt. He took deep breaths, realising they were still in a public place, and although in a private room, people may still hear them. Logan could see that he was trying to control his emotions. His father stood up and paced around the small space, still eyeing him disdainfully. “For the sake of our customers, I will not shout at you like you deserve. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO US!”

Logan wanted to point out that his father was still shouting at him, but he dared not. He had never seen Mitchum so angry in his life, not even after he sunk their yacht off Fiji. Okay, maybe he was just as angry that time, but it was such a long time ago. Mitchum had not been angry with him for ages and he had forgotten how horrible his father could be. He decided to remain quiet and let his father rant. Over the years, he found out it was better than shouting back at him.

“My dynastic plan is RUINED! I thought you were an adult now, that you’ve grown up. HOW COULD YOU SCREW THIS UP? What possessed you to break up with her? Think of all the business deals and opportunities we lost because you couldn’t keep her. That’s millions of profit down the drain.”

He wanted to mention that it was him who singlehandedly got them the Macfarlane deal, that he had made tremendous contributions to HPG's success over the years, but he knew it was the wrong time to point those out to his father. At any rate, Logan said nothing. It wasn’t as bad as he expected, after all. Their cutlery remained on the table, not a thing was flung on the walls and floor. No expletives were thrown his way. Not yet, anyway.

“THINK ABOUT YOUR POOR MOTHER! God knows what she will do when she hears about this. It will break her heart. If your grandfather were alive, I don’t know what he would have done with you. Never, not even in my misguided youth, have I given him a headache as bad as this. You are a hopeless case. LOGAN, YOU WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME!”

His father finally settled down in his chair and reached for a glass of water. He was still red-faced, but he seemed to be calming down. Logan was thankful that none of the staff interrupted their “dining pleasure”. He thought it safe to finally speak up.

“I’m sorry, Dad.” Three simple words, those were all he could manage to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The inspiration for Mitchum in this chapter is Uncle Vernon from Harry Potter, hence, the all-caps shouting.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a chapter about Logan's thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Being Undesirable No.1 in his parents’ eyes was not the most ideal position Logan had been in. Following the announcement of his broken engagement, there were constant sermons from his father to deal with, and more than one hysterical phone call from his mother. He thought that them being angry with him meant they would leave him alone, but, no, they hounded him even more. Other than those encounters, life for him was as normal as it could be, and just as hectic.

Logan dutifully carried out his responsibilities, per usual, as the Huntzberger heir in London. He was surprised his father didn’t demand his resignation after he screwed up the dynastic plan; he was prepared to be let go after all. It could not be doubted, however, that over the years, Logan had proven himself indispensable to the company, and his father had grudgingly admitted that to him.

His parents showed up one time in his London flat, intent on having a serious talk with him. They had discussed a lot of things, but they were the same things all over again, the same things he heard since he was a child. He and his parents could never see eye-to-eye and Logan was resigned to that fact. He heard them out, but he kept the most important thing from them, the one secret that he decided would influence his decision in every aspect of his life from this day on.

He dared not broach the topic of one Rory Gilmore to his family, save to Honor, his sister. In her, he found a most encouraging confidante. Their constant long-distance calls made him sane for the past three weeks. She had always liked Rory, and he was surprised that even after telling her about their Vegas arrangement, she was still on her team, and on his, too.

For some unknown reason, he did not tell Rory that he was single once more. Was it because he was scared that she had moved on? Or was it because he was afraid she would reject him again? He couldn’t put a finger on the real reason why the love of his life was unaware that he was free to pursue her. The ball was totally in his court. Maybe he was a masochist. Or maybe, he was just waiting for the right moment and the right circumstances to tell her. Anyway, now didn’t feel like the right time to contact her again. It was too soon.

He went about his life like an automaton. He spent his days at the office and his nights and weekends at home. He only went out to buy groceries and other essentials. He couldn’t remember the last time he went out for drinks with his mates. It was like he was becoming an old man, a boring old man. How did life get to be this way?

***

One dreary London afternoon, he was sitting alone in his office, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had a severe headache caused by at least three meetings and teleconferences he already had that day. Seeing his mobile phone on his desk, he picked it up and scrolled through his contacts, finally staring at Rory’s number, like he had done countless times. At the last second, he chickened out and turned his phone off. It had been almost four weeks since they said their goodbyes to each other, but he still hadn’t called her to tell her that he had broken up with Odette.

He had busied himself with his work, careful not to screw up in that department so his father would not have an excuse to yell at him again. Whatever the turmoil he was feeling inside himself, it did not affect his productivity at work. Perhaps it was because, subconsciously, he knew that he was not doing this for himself alone, or his father and the rest of the Huntzbergers, but for her as well. Rory Gilmore made him into a better man, and he wanted her to be proud of him. He vowed that he would share all his successes with her. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, provide her with all her needs, give her security. Whatever. Even in his mind, he was rambling. One thing was for sure, he loved her.

“Mr Huntzberger, your three-thirty team is in the boardroom,” his secretary said as she popped her head through his office door.

“Thanks, Clarisse. I’ll be there in a moment.”

As he buttoned up his suit jacket and prepared to leave for yet another meeting, he was still thinking about Rory. He had been swamped with work these past weeks, but whenever he had time just to himself, she would always invade his thoughts. There was nowhere else in the world he would rather be right now than wherever Rory was. He sighed and picked up his portfolio and tablet, walking slowly in the direction of the boardroom. He needed a long holiday, and he knew exactly where he wanted to go. He decided it was time to let her know. He had waited long enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is sort of a filler. I promise the next one will be more interesting.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan pays a visit to Stars Hollow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Stars Hollow looked like a sleepy town when Logan arrived there one chilly autumn night. Most of the houses only had their porch lights on and the streets were dimly lit with lamp posts, which made the place look something out of a dream. He could hear faint music playing through the closed windows of his car and thought some festival must be underway in the quirky New England town.

He turned into Rory’s street and parked in her driveway. The lights were out in the house as well, but he decided to see if anyone was home anyway. He adjusted his scarf and rang the doorbell, almost squeezing the bouquet of flowers he held in his other hand, feeling the chill not only from the night air but also from his nerves.

When no one answered, he took to sitting by the porch steps. He was going to wait for Rory for as long as he could without freezing. Not ten minutes went by when he heard the crunch of leaves from the street and footsteps coming towards his direction, so he stood up.

“Oh, honey, what are you doing out here in the cold,” a raspy female voice called out to him.

“Good evening. I’m looking for Rory. I’m her friend. Would you happen to know where she is?” he addressed both the woman and the tall man she was with. He had met them years ago but couldn’t remember their names.

“Why, she’s in the main square celebrating with most of the town. Morey and I decided to call it a night because we have an outing tomorrow.”

“You’ve missed the wedding, son, but the reception is bound to last for a couple more hours,” the man added.

Logan’s heart dropped and his blood ran cold. A wedding? Rory’s wedding? She actually got married when he was the one who was engaged? This was absurd! He never saw it coming, she never hinted her relationship with her boyfriend was that serious, she kept forgetting about meeting him for dates. He couldn’t believe he was too late. He was such an ass! He should have followed his first instinct and came rushing back to her after his break-up with Odette.

He ran to his car, dropping the flowers he had with him, and yanked the door open, not knowing what to do.

“Whoa, slow down, son, she’s not going anywhere,” Morey shouted.

“Hey, aren’t you Rory’s old boyfriend?” Babette called out at the same time.

Their words fell on deaf ears as Logan slammed his car door shut and started the engine. He could only hear the pounding of his blood in his ears and feel the warm trickle of tears on his cheeks. It had been a long time since he last cried. He had to get out of Stars Hollow, fast.

***

When he was a mile out of Stars Hollow, he changed his mind. He parked his car on a side road and wiped the remnants of his tears away.

He had to see her, even if it would be from afar. He had to see if she was happy, even if he wouldn’t be the one to call her his.

Turning his car around, he resolved to go back, vowing it would be the last time he did.

***

Logan stood partially hidden behind a tree as he watched the late night revellers singing along to the playing rock band. He felt like a stalker, an outsider, but he didn’t care. He spotted Rory at a table wearing a cardigan over her baby pink wedding dress. She looked beautiful, the fairy lights setting sparkles on her hair and face as she sang along to a song he didn’t know. And she looked happy. That gutted him.

The song ended and the people gave the band a deafening applause. Logan took to leave, having seen enough of everything. When the next song was played, something that was familiar to him, he turned around without thinking. That was when he saw him.

He felt cold and clammy, like he was recently doused with a bucket of ice water. Why, of all the men in the world, did it have to be him?

Jess took Rory’s hand and smiled down at her as he asked her for a dance. He looked smart in his three-piece suit for once, a pink carnation sticking out of the lapel of his jacket, looking very much the happy groom in Logan’s eyes.

Anger boiled in Logan’s blood and he could not stop his hands from shaking. He felt like punching Jess in the face. It should have been him who should be dancing with Rory. He turned to leave once more, determined never to look back.

“Logan?”

He thought he heard her call out his name over the voice of the female singer during the first lines of Wedding Bell Blues. He did not look back. He ran as fast as he could, and reaching his car, he floored the gas pedal.

Silhouetted against the moonlight, the forlorn figure of Rory Gilmore standing alone in the middle of the street was clearly reflected in his rear view mirror. That sight would haunt him for days to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a short chapter but I had to end it there.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan gets a surprise visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Logan did not go home to his parents’ mansion, neither did he go to Honor’s place. In fact, no one knew his current whereabouts.

He was staying at a well-kept bed-and-breakfast just on the outskirts of Hartford. That night when he felt his dreams come crashing down around him, he had driven blindly for hours, until the sky turned pink with the promise of the sun. He ended up in this little inn, and here he had stayed for four days.

He had turned off his phone, not wanting to talk to anybody. Alcohol was his only friend, and he drowned his sorrows with lots of it. The landlord had expressed his concern over his indulgence, but he just threw a wad of cash at him and bought the place out for the week. So, day in and day out, he sat by the fireplace and sipped his choice of poison, always a Macallan, and tried to forget her. It was an impossible task.

“What do you mean you’re all bought out?”

A familiar voice startled him out of his drunken stupor. He heard the landlord’s wife mutter something unintelligible.

“Well, whatever he’s paying, I’ll double it,” said the older woman authoritatively. “He wouldn’t mind us occupying a couple of rooms for the night. Alejandro, get my bags, will you?”

He heard the click of heels on the hardwood floor coming his way and proceeded to flee the room in panic but his legs would not obey him. Dammit! He was so wasted that he could barely stand up. It was surprising that he could still put two-and-two together in his state.

Emily Gilmore appeared before him in the inn’s common room, looking as formidable as she ever did in Logan’s eyes.

The landlord’s wife came scurrying after her, then seeing Logan, said, “I’m sorry, sir, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“It’s fine, Mrs Merton, I know her.” Eyeing Emily’s driver behind her, he added, “They can stay, and on me, don’t let them pay anything.”

“Logan Huntzberger! Well, I never!” She finally recognised him, the beginnings of a beard and all. “You there, Mrs Merton, is it? Bring a pot of coffee for this gentleman, and a pitcher of water as well as some food.” Turning to Alejandro, she said, “Find me some aspirin, it’s probably in my toiletry bag.” She turned her attention back to Logan, frowning. “Not a word from you, not until you’ve got food and coffee in you. And give me that drink! It looks like you’ve reached you monthly quota of Scotch.”

He could only hand the glass to her as she started fussing over him.

***

“Where is your mother when you need her?” Emily huffed as she handed him another cup of coffee, his second one.

“Well, we were never really close, so,” he said, shrugging. He was practically sober now, Emily’s sudden and unexpected appearance shocking him into it. He’d also had a plateful of food, lots of water, some coffee, and two aspirins, which made him feel almost human.

“Why are you in such a state? Start talking.”

Logan winced. He wasn’t sure if he should tell Emily anything. Not even Honor knew of what happened recently. What the hell! Frankly, he was tired of keeping things to himself. He had spoken to no one since that fateful night. It was better if he let it all out. Here goes nothing!

“I believe some congratulations are in order,” he said, sipping his coffee for want of something to do. His words tasted as bitter as the coffee did.

“Yes, thank you very much, the wedding has been a long time coming.”

Ouch! What a way to rub salt in the wound.

“Hmm.”

“Now, what about you? How come I find you now in this little town, as drunk as a college frat boy? What happened to you, Logan?”

He put his coffee cup down, bent on telling her the truth.

“Your granddaughter, Emily, that’s what happened.”

“I beg your pardon?”

Great! She was looking at him like he was losing his mind.

“I love your granddaughter very much.”

Emily was shocked, confusion written all over her features. It took a full minute for her to speak.

“But aren’t you engaged? Before I left the DAR, it was all the society ladies could talk about, your mother made sure of that.”

Logan laughed bitterly. That sounded like his mother, all right.

“I ended my engagement a month ago. Like I said, I’m in love with your granddaughter.”

“You’re in love, with Rory?”

“Yes, I am.” They were going round in circles, it was frustrating and hurtful to him at the same time.

“But you haven’t seen her in years.” Her brows furrowed. “Come to think of it, you haven’t seen her since she rejected your marriage proposal. She certainly has not mentioned bumping into you.”

“She probably hasn’t mentioned it to anyone, our relationship these past months is clearly not something you’d want to brag about. We started seeing each other again June of last year, when we bumped into each other in Hamburg. She decided to break it off with me late this summer, but we saw each other again a month or so ago.”

“You were engaged, and she had a boyfriend, whatsisname, I forgot. She looked in love when she visited me for Friday night dinner last winter.” Something clicked in her brain. “Oh! OH! You young people are driving me mad! What have you two been up to? You and Rory were together when you had relationships with other people.”

“Yes, Vegas.” He shook his head.

“You lost me again. Stop speaking in codes, Logan.”

“We had a Vegas deal. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. When we were together, we were together, when we were not, we were not. It was Rory’s idea.”

“How awful! Both of you are mad! I can’t believe Rory could do this! She was always so proper.”

“Except when she’s with me. I’m sorry, Emily, I was always a bad influence on her. You don’t have to worry about it now. I’ll leave her in peace.”

“What do you mean? I thought you said you loved her? Now, you’re giving up?”

It was Logan’s turn to look puzzled.

“But, she’s married now,” he said slowly. He couldn’t believe Emily had such a low opinion of him.

“What? Where did you get that silly idea?”

Logan was struck dumb. Was he hearing things? A little light of hope flickered inside him.

“You mean, she’s not?”

“Lorelai, my daughter, was the one who got married, to Luke. They’ve been skirting around the topic of marriage for years. Everyone is quite relieved that they finally took the plunge.”

“But, I saw Rory at the reception with that guy, Jess.” He could barely speak the name out loud. “They looked happy together.”

“You mean Jess, Luke’s nephew and best man?” She shook her head. “It only follows that Rory would be seen with him, she was Lorelai’s maid of honour, after all, and she and Jess are friends. You can’t expect her not to interact with him.”

“So, she didn’t marry him?”

“No, she didn’t.”

“Oh, Emily, I could kiss you!” He jumped up from his chair and did just that, gave her a big kiss on the cheek. “Sorry, I got carried away.” He smiled sheepishly. “Thank you! I have to go find Rory.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For me, this was a fun chapter to write. Emily is my favourite character in this story, so far.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rory finally makes an appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Emily did not allow him to go to Rory appearing the way he did, and only recently gaining his sobriety, so he had no choice but to obey her. He was ordered to shower, shave, and take a nap. By the time he woke up, it was the middle of the night. He decided to postpone his trip to Stars Hollow the following morning.

In the morning, she wished him good luck. She also asked him to keep her informed of the developments. He thanked her again, telling her she was his guardian angel, then they both set off in different directions, Emily back to Nantucket and he to Stars Hollow.

***

He saw her sitting on the porch steps early that Thursday morning, cradling a huge cup of coffee in her hands, Paul Anka, the dog, at her feet. She looked up when he parked his car in the drive, her mood unreadable. His heart beat so fast and he felt the familiar butterflies in his stomach which seemed to come alive every time he saw her. God, she looked beautiful!

It was unusually bright outside that the rays of the sun revealed the auburn tint in her hair. He got out of the car and gave her an apologetic smile, almost dropping the bouquet of flowers he was holding.

“What are you doing here, Logan?”

Before he could reply, he heard her neighbour address him from her own front yard.

“Hey, honey! I’m glad you finally caught Rory. You seemed in such a hurry that one night you came here that you dropped the flowers you had with you.” To Rory, she said, “You all right there, sweetie? You and your friend are welcome to have breakfast with me and Morey.”

“Thanks, Babette, but Logan and I need to go inside.”

Rory turned towards the front door and reluctantly motioned for Logan to follow.

“It was nice seeing you again, Babette,” he said with a wave before he disappeared inside the house with Paul Anka.

Rory closed the door and turned to face him.

“What are you doing here? You didn’t answer my calls and texts. I must have left around fifty messages in your voicemail. It felt like you disappeared from the face of the earth.” In a small voice, she added, “I was worried about you.”

“I know, I’m sorry, Ace. I’ve come to explain everything. Here, these are for you.”

“Thanks.” She brought the bouquet and her almost empty cup to the kitchen, finding a vase for the flowers. They were the same ones that Logan had left unintentionally in the drive the night of Lorelai’s wedding.

“They’re your favourite, sunflowers.” He followed her into the kitchen. “Ace, we need to talk.”

Rory nodded as she arranged the flowers in a vase.

“Do you want anything?” she asked, remembering her manners. “I have pop tarts and coffee, and some doughnuts in the fridge. Mom and Luke are on their honeymoon in Hawaii, so don’t expect a home-cooked meal this early in the day from me.”

“Thanks, but I don't want anything, I already had breakfast. Can we please talk?” He took her hand, which she allowed, and led her to the living room.

She placed the flowers on the coffee table, Paul Anka following her and Logan. The dog settled down in an armchair and went to sleep.

As Rory sat beside Logan on the couch, she asked, “Does Odette know you’re here?” She looked down at her hands on her lap.

“No, no one does, except for—”

He was interrupted by Rory, who ran from him, clamping a hand on her mouth. He followed her to the bathroom, very much alarmed, and held her hair when she emptied the contents of her stomach in the toilet.

“Are you okay, Ace?” He rubbed soothing circles on her back as she continued to heave.

After a few minutes, she was finally done. They both sat down on the floor after Rory wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet. Logan tentatively put an arm around her and felt pleased when, instead of resisting his touch, she rested her head on his shoulder.

“Boy! Kirk was right about the downstairs toilet.”

“Huh?”

“It hurts your knees when you kneel to throw up.”

“Ah. I think you should lie down, Ace. I’ll tuck you in bed. You’re not well, you should get some rest. We can talk later.” He kissed the top of her head. Now that she was so close, he could not resist her.

“I’m fine, Logan, just give me a couple of minutes.”

They stayed in that position for a while on the bathroom floor, like it was the most ordinary thing in the world to do. Afterwards, Rory stood up to brush her teeth.

“You can wait for me in the living room.”

“Are you sure you’re fine?”

“I’m positive,” she said with a small smile.

***

Logan was sitting on the couch with Rory, two steaming cups of decaf in front of them on the coffee table. Rory insisted that she was well enough to have another cup of her favourite beverage.

“You’re drinking decaf now?” he said as he took the cup Rory offered him. “What happened?”

“Just cutting back on my caffeine intake, that’s all,” she said, fidgeting with a corner of the throw pillow she had on her lap. She took a sip of coffee. “Are you ready to talk?”

“Yes.”

“Good, because I have something to tell you, too, but, please, you go first.”

“All right.” He set his cup on the coffee table and straightened his shoulders, facing her. “I broke up with Odette.”

Rory’s eyes went wide at his revelation, then they started glistening. She almost spilled her coffee, luckily, Logan was able to catch the cup as it was about to fall. He put it on the table with his own cup then turned his full attention to her. Not ten seconds into his confession, tears were streaming down her face.

“Hey, it’s okay, Ace. Don’t cry.” He pulled her in an embrace. Were they tears of joy? He felt like he should expound a little on what he said. “It was a friendly split. We both felt ending the relationship was the right thing to do. My parents, I believe, are starting to get over it. It’s been around a month since I told them.”

“A month? It’s been a month and you only told me now?” She pulled away from the hug, hurt visible in her eyes, and a little anger, too.

“I know, I should have said something, but I thought I’d let the issue die down with my parents first before I told you. Also, I wanted to tell you in person. Now’s the only time I could take a break from work, I’ve been swamped with meetings in London this past month.” She remained quiet, her silent tears subsiding. “I really want to talk things over, Ace, and I feel like right now is a good time because I don’t have to get a flight back to London in a day, not like when I last visited. We have all the time in the world to iron things out between us.” He sighed and gave her a smile. “Okay, I was exaggerating. We have roughly two weeks, but, hey, you can come to London with me once the two weeks are up.” He combed a hand through his hair. “Say something, Ace.”

“I don’t know what to say, Logan. I mean, you showed up here in Stars Hollow out of the blue the night of my mom’s wedding, and when you did, you acted as if you didn’t hear me when I called out to you and drove off. You didn’t answer any of my texts or calls. Now, you’ve made a complete 180 and you want to talk. You then offer to take me to London. What am I to make of all this? Am I supposed to cater to your every whim, be there when you want me to be, leave you alone when you feel like it? I’m not a puppet, you know.”

“Ace, please, just hear me out.” He grabbed her hands in desperation.

“Fine. You have five minutes.”

Logan told her everything that happened so far since they said their goodbyes, from his broken engagement, to his parents’ reactions, to Honor’s relief, then, how he misunderstood that she married Jess, and finally, his encounter with her grandmother. He only left out the part about being still in love with her. He was quite out of breath when he finished.

Rory reacted in a number of ways as he told her his story: shock, relief, sadness, disbelief, irritation, and a bit of amusement could be seen on her face. Logan thought her a bit moodier than usual, but attributed it to his unusual story.

“Grandma knows about the Vegas agreement?” He nodded. “Oh my God! I can’t ever face her now. I’m so ashamed of what we’ve done.”

“It’s okay, Ace, I think she’ll forgive you.” He gently rubbed her shoulder. “Everyone makes mistakes, even the best of us, and the Vegas thing was one of our biggest mistakes.” Her eyes started to glisten again, so he hurriedly added, “I don’t regret being with you, though.”

She took deep calming breaths, then said, “Me, too.” She smiled a little.

He gave one of her hands a kiss. “Let’s put it behind us, shall we? Let’s promise not to ever have a no-strings relationship. I think we’re getting too old for that.”

“All right.”

They settled into a comfortable silence, taking sips of their coffee and glancing at each other. Logan was thankful that whatever stomach bug Rory had, it seemed to have settled down.

“So, Ace, what’s your story?” he said after a while.

She seemed to turn green before his eyes, and Logan was worried that she would puke again. He might be wrong about that stomach bug, after all. But, then again, she didn’t run to the bathroom, so maybe that was a good sign.

“Um, Logan,” she began, then stopped. She opened her mouth again, but no words came out.

“Yes?” He nodded encouragingly. She looked lost and frightened. “You can tell me, Ace. C’mon. You used to be able to tell me everything.”

“Logan.”

“You can do it.”

“Yes, I can,” she said, determination evident in her eyes this time.

“And?”

“I’m pregnant!” she blurted out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to include Paul Anka in this story because I love dogs. Wasn't it brilliant that Sparky was part of the GG revival?
> 
> Anyway, Logan finally knows! How will he react to the news? Tune in next week to find out.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens after the pregnancy revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Rory looked like she was going to cry again.

“Wha?” It was his turn to be speechless.

“Five weeks,” she managed to say. Her eyes were starting to water again for the nth time that morning. She could barely meet his eyes.

Although his mouth did not seem to be working, his mind was going a million miles a minute. He was doing the math in his head. Five weeks ago, he was here in Stars Hollow with Colin, Finn, and Robert. They had that little Life and Death Brigade reunion adventure with Rory. Colin bought a tango club and a car, then they took a wrong turn in Vermont. They ended up in a bed-and-breakfast in New Hampshire, which Colin bought, too. New Hampshire! His face must have worn a few different expressions in the course of his realisation because Rory was looking at him oddly now.

“Mine?”

“Yes,” she said quietly, not able to look at him again. “Of course, the baby is yours, yours and mine,” she said quietly, her head bowed.

It took a moment for Logan to process what he just heard. He was finally taken out of his daze when he noticed Rory fidgeting, eyes glistening again. He took her hands in his.

“Ours,” he said slowly. “Our baby. We’re going to have a baby. Wow.”

She nodded, her lips quirking into a small smile, managing to look into his eyes. Then, she frowned. He held his breath. He knew the start of a Rory Gilmore babble when he saw one.

“Listen, Logan, you don’t have to feel obligated about anything.”

“Ace—”

“No, just let me finish. If you’re worried about me not keeping the baby, don’t. My mom decided to have me, after all, so abortion is definitely out of the question. I want this baby and I am having it, nothing or no one can change my decision.”

He visibly relaxed at her words and let out a long, slow breath of relief. He decided to let her talk uninterrupted.

“I am keeping our baby, even if I have to raise her on my own. You can be a part of her life if you want. Again, don’t feel obligated about finances and such, I can manage. I have a job offer to teach at Chilton as a fallback if I can’t find a permanent writing job. I talked with my mom, and she has promised to help me out in whatever way she can. I’m grateful for that. You can decide the level of involvement you will have in her life. This baby is going to be loved, and she’ll have her needs taken care of, no matter what happens.” She glanced at him, pausing for a beat, like she just thought of something. “Just promise me one thing.”

“Anything, Ace.” He’ll give her the moon, if she wanted. He loved his baby, too, now that he was aware of him. The baby will never want for anything, not if Logan could help it.

“When our daughter is older, and you promise to visit her or attend an event for her, please show up. I grew up not knowing when I would see my dad next, and it was difficult for me to grasp. He usually never showed up when he was supposed to, and it broke my heart every time.”

Logan suddenly stood up. “I just remembered, I have to be somewhere else. Stay here, Ace.” He gave her a kiss on the forehead and ran out the door, Rory and Paul Anka at his heels.

“Where are you going? We are not done talking,” she called after him as he got into his car, doubt clouding her eyes.

“Just promise me you won’t go anywhere today.”

She nodded as she held the dog back, still looking unsure of what she was agreeing to. Her eyes were starting to brim with unshed tears and he hated that, but he had to go. He gave her a wave and was off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the short chapter, it just felt right to end it here. The next one's going to be long, I may even have to shorten it a bit.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We find out what Logan was up to before he returns to Stars Hollow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls, or any quotes or prints on onesies.

Logan drove to his parents’ Hartford mansion with a renewed sense of purpose. He was going to be a father. He never expected it to happen at this time, and in these circumstances. But when faced with the reality of it now, he surprised himself because he was actually excited to be one. Rory being the mother-to-be of his unborn child was an added bonus. He came to realise that he wouldn’t have it any other way, he wouldn’t want anyone else to be the mother of his future children.

When he came to the little lane that would eventually lead him to their long and winding drive, he stopped the car and picked up his phone.

“Hello, Honor, I need you to do me a favour.”

***

Not a minute went by since he first stepped into the grand foyer of his home when he was accosted by his mother.

“The prodigal son returns,” Shira greeted.

“Hello, Mom,” he said, kissing her cheek.

“Where have you been these past few days? Not hanging out with those friends of yours again, I hope?”

“My old mates are all out of country at the moment. I was taking care of something.”

“Fine, Logan, you don’t have to tell me.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re here. Your sister just called and invited us to dinner tomorrow night. She’s feeling a little lonely since Josh accompanied the kids to New York for their school field trip. Can I count on you to be there?”

“Sure, Mom, anything for Honor.”

His mother shook her head. “If only you could be the same way with your father and me. You would have stayed engaged and made us so happy when you finally got married.” She shook her head once more then went on her way.

Finally, he was alone. He climbed the staircase leading to the family’s rooms on the second floor. After he went inside his room, he locked the door. He plopped down on his bed and heaved a sigh of relief. Well done, Honor! He knew he could always count on her. Step one of the plan was done.

He went over to the framed picture of a muscle car on the wall right next to his walk-in closet door. The picture swung on its cleverly disguised hinges to reveal a safe. Upon opening it, a flood of memories came to him. There was his baseball card collection, most of them in mint condition. A couple of playboy magazines could be seen sticking out near the bottom of the piled things in his safe. He sneaked those up to his room when he was thirteen. Those need to go in the trash. He rummaged through all the bits and bobs he had acquired in his youth to find what he was looking for. In one corner of the safe, tucked away beneath an old journal, he found it. Mission accomplished on step two.

***

Not four hours had passed since he left Stars Hollow when he found himself driving in that direction again. The country roads were becoming familiar to him and he felt a new-found comfort and sense of peace whilst travelling on them.

He stopped by a Chinese restaurant along the way and got some takeaway for lunch. Knowing Rory, she probably just ate some leftovers in her fridge. Now that he knew she was carrying his baby, he felt compelled to take care of her, and that meant making sure she was eating healthy. He hoped she wouldn’t mind that he ordered mostly food that had vegetables in them. Perhaps he would have to convince her to try them.

Not only did he get her some food, he also went a little crazy and got her and the baby some things in Hartford. He even bought her the brand of prenatal vitamins that Honor took when she was pregnant with her girls. He had only told Honor about the pregnancy a few hours ago, but she had already bombarded him with loads of advice about pregnancy and parenting. Rather than finding it annoying, he found it rather endearing that his sister was ecstatic about him becoming a father.

The most important present of all, if you could call it that, was, however, tucked away in the inside pocket of his jacket. He felt it through the fabric to make sure that it was still there, safe and sound.

When he entered the town of Stars Hollow, the familiar butterflies invaded his stomach again. It felt like they were preparing for a migration by the way his stomach churned. He passed Lane when he rounded a corner and gave her a wave and a smile. She waved back, but looked utterly perplexed.

He arrived at Rory's house at around 3 pm and proceeded to get the Chinese takeaway from the passenger seat. He would have to make several trips to unload everything he had in his car to the house.

He rang the doorbell, but no one opened the door for him. He only heard Paul Anka barking inside.

“Ace?” he called out, afraid that something was wrong. He tried the door, and thankfully, it was unlocked.

Rory wasn’t in the living room, only the dog was, wagging his tail at Logan. He put the boxes of food on the kitchen counter and petted Paul Anka, who then sat in front of Rory’s bedroom door.

“Is she in there, boy?”

He gingerly opened the door and the sight that greeted him broke his heart. Rory was huddled on her bed, crying. It seemed like she had been at it for hours. He ran to her side and noticed that her pillow was soaked with tears.

“Ace.” He sat on the bed, rubbing soothing circles on her back. He let her cry a bit more, thinking that it was better if she let it all out.

When she finally calmed down a little, she said softly, “You came back.”

“Of course I did.” He bent down to kiss her temple.

“I thought you left me again.”

“Ace, you know I would never, not now.”

“I called my mom. I told her you came here.”

Logan was quiet for a while. He stroked her hair to comfort her, drying the occasional tears that fell from her eyes. He was anxious to hear what Lorelai had to say about him. She never really liked him.

“Must have been quite a surprise for her.”

“Not really. She knew that we were seeing each other.”

“Oh. She must hate me even more right now.” In a whisper, he added, “What did she say about me?”

Rory sat up on the bed, hugging her knees. “I don’t know if she hates you. She wanted me to tell you about the baby when I told her I was pregnant. After our conversation today, she said I should give you some time. She told me that you would be back.”

He squeezed her shoulder, relieved at what he heard. “She’s right. I’m back.” He thought some more about what Rory said. “Wait, did you think about not telling me that you were pregnant with our baby?”

“I wasn’t sure if I could tell you about it. You were engaged.” She shrugged her shoulders.

Both of them became silent. Logan was a little upset to learn that she thought about keeping their baby a secret from him. He looked at Rory and saw that she looked a bit guilty. For heaven’s sake, she was carrying his child. He wasn’t going to be angry at her hesitation to tell him about it.

“Well, I’m not engaged now, and I’m glad you told me that we’re going to have a baby. I’m really happy about it, Ace.”

“You are?” She brightened up a bit at his confession.

“Of course I am, I want this baby. I love him already.”

“Oh, Logan, I’m so happy.” She hugged him tightly. “I love this baby, too.”

Both of them heard Rory’s stomach rumble. They started laughing.

“Way to ruin a serious moment, Ace. Did you have lunch yet?”

“No, I forgot to eat, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.”

“Well, we can’t have that now, can we? C’mon,” he said, pulling her to her feet. “I brought you some Chinese food. It’s time for a late lunch or very early dinner. The baby’s hungry, too.”

***

“Logan, you brought too much food,” Rory said, patting her belly. “I’m stuffed.”

He was doing the washing-up in the kitchen sink.

“You’re eating for two now, Ace.” He smirked. “I’m impressed that you liked the veggies. I never thought this day would come.”

“That was quality takeaway, that was, and besides, veggies are good for the baby. Are you sure you don’t need any help?”

“I’m sure. You just sit, relax, and continue digesting. After I’m done here, I’m going to give you your presents.”

“Presents? You have some for me? I love presents! But what did I do to deserve them?”

“For starters, for carrying my baby.” He gave her a sweet smile, which she returned. “I got Paul Anka some doggy treats, too, so he won’t get jealous.”

“Aww, you’re sweet, Logan.”

When he was done washing the dishes, they went to the living room.

“It might take me a few trips to the car to get everything,” Logan admitted. “Stay here. And, no peeking, Ace. I’ll show you the stuff once I bring them all in.”

“Okay, I need to use the bathroom, anyway.”

It took Logan three trips to the car to unload everything. When he was done, Rory reappeared from the bathroom.

“Wow, Logan, what did you do, buy the entire maternity and baby sections of the store you went to?” She chuckled, looking at the stuff piled on the couch and the coffee table.

“I spent a long time shopping, I admit. Where’s Paul Anka? Paul Anka!”

The dog came running to the room when he was called.

“Here you go, boy,” he said, giving him a doggy biscuit. To Rory, he said, “These are his treats for keeping you company.”

“You’re going to spoil him.”

“Don’t get jealous, Ace,” he joked. “I bought more things for you and the baby.”

“Let’s see what you got us, then,” she said, sitting on an armchair.

“First things first, here, I know how much you love books. This is a classic.” He handed her a copy of What To Expect When You’re Expecting. “Honor swears this helped her a lot when she was pregnant with Hope, and even with Gracie. I bought two, one for you and one for me.”

“Wait, Honor knows?” Her eyes almost bugged out of their sockets.

“Don’t worry, my parents don’t know—yet.”

“Somehow, I don’t find that comforting.”

“I’ll take care of it. Anyway, back to the presents.”

Aside from the book and the prenatal vitamins, he got her three flavours of decaf coffee, two boxes of saltine crackers, some relaxing bath salts and bath bombs, three pairs of pyjamas, and . . .

“Underwear? You bought me new underwear?” she said, shaking her head.

“You always complained about losing the box you had them in when you were in London with me. The shop assistant swore that these are comfortable and breathable. She tried to sell me some nursing bras afterwards, but I thought it was too early for them.”

Rory ended up laughing so hard that she almost fell on the floor. He smiled widely at the sight of her. He loved making her laugh. It was a good thing, her laughing, because she seemed to be doing a lot of crying these days. He hated that. It must be the pregnancy hormones.

“Okay, I think those are all your presents. You can tell me what else I forgot to get that you want, I’ll buy them for you. It’s the baby’s turn.”

Rory oohed and aahed as he produced the baby’s things from its pile. There was a little brown teddy, a warm fleece baby blanket, a cute bobble hat, a tiny pair of baby booties, and some onesies, which he showed to her one by one.

“This one says 50% Mommy, 50% Daddy, 100% Perfect,” he said, handing a white onesie to her. “You’ll love this next one, Ace.” This time, it was a blue onesie with the Yale Y on it. “Oh, wait, I bought us matching hoodies, too. I’ll go get them.”

As he moved to go back outside, he didn’t notice Rory pick up the last onesie he had yet to show her.

“Here you go, Ace,” he said when he returned, handing her a hoodie. “Now, all three of us can match.” He showed her his own Yale hoodie. “Ace, Rory?”

She was quietly crying, wiping her tears with the back of her hands.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in his and kissing them.

“Do you mean it, Logan? Is this true?” she asked, holding out the red onesie to him. It said Daddy and I love Mommy.

Logan took her face in his hands, wiping her tears aways with his thumbs.

“Of course I mean it, Ace. I wouldn’t have bought that onesie if I didn’t.” She cried harder at what he said. He tucked her hair behind her ears and crouched so that he could stare directly into her eyes. “I love you, Rory, more than you’ll ever know.”

At long last, he was able to say the words he longed to say to her. He kissed her, hard, letting go of all the passion he had bottled up inside of him. He was overjoyed when she kissed him back just as passionately.

When their kisses ended, Rory said, “I love you, too, Logan.” She smiled at him.

“I love you more. I’m going to be here for you and our baby, Rory. I’ll help you in whatever way I can, every step of the way.”

He gently touched Rory’s still flat belly, placing his hand over their baby. She placed her hand on top of his.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, smiling happily at him.

“It’s my pleasure.”

He kissed her again, this time, softly. It only took a few seconds for the kiss to turn heated; they could not get enough of each other.

“Stay the night?” she asked breathlessly when they came up for air.

“I thought you would never ask, Ace.” Logan smirked as Rory pulled him by the hand towards her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, they exchanged I love you's. I wanted some fluff, so, there you go.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan tells his parents about Rory and their little bundle of joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

They spent the next day catching up with each other, that is, after Rory’s morning sickness reared its ugly head. Eating saltine crackers before getting up from bed seemed to help her a little. She didn’t really throw up so much as gag. Afterwards, she was able to keep down the breakfast that Logan cooked for her.

“Do you want something else, Ace?” he asked, finally able to sit down to his own breakfast. He insisted on serving her and cleaning up after her that he ignored his food.

They were sitting at the dining table sharing a paper as the sun filtered through the windows, giving the kitchen a cheery feel. The room smelled of waffles and strawberries, a combination Rory could not say no to.

“Actually, I think I might have an apple,” she said, reaching out for one.

“Oh, this pregnancy is doing odd things to you, huh? First, veggies, now, fruit.” He smirked.

“Hey, don’t complain.” She swatted him with her section of the paper. “It’s good for the baby.”

“I’m not complaining, I’m just not used to it. Who knew Rory Gilmore could eat healthy and like it. Speaking of healthy, have you taken your prenatal vitamins yet? Honor recommended it to me. I consider her an expert in these things.”

“It’s good of you to remind me.” She stood up and took her vitamins. She gave him a kiss when she returned to her chair. “Thank you, Logan, you’ve been nothing but wonderful since you arrived here.”

“Don’t mention it, Ace. I like taking care of you. I like you taking care of me, too, if you know what I mean,” he said, giving her a smirk and a wink.

“Dirty,” she yelled as she smacked him again with the paper.

***

After Logan was done eating, Rory decided to call her mother to keep her updated about what happened. Logan became apprehensive again and didn’t want to be in the same room as her, so he gave Paul Anka his breakfast instead.

From what Rory told him, it seemed that Lorelai and Luke were both relieved that he and Rory had talked. Both Lorelai and Luke weren’t too happy about everything that happened between them, but nonetheless, they were glad that he knew about the baby now.

They tried to discuss what the future held for them, but they couldn’t get past the topic of how to tell the rest of their respective families about the pregnancy. They ended up dispelling each other’s fears, saying that they would survive the ordeal. Rory was meeting her father around lunchtime while Logan was going to have dinner with his family at Honor’s house that evening.

He drove her to her father’s office and gave her a pep talk before she went in. They hugged and kissed before they had to go their separate ways. Logan could have sworn that he saw Christopher in the corner of his eye as they hugged, but when he looked properly in that direction, he was not there. It may have been his imagination.

After dropping Rory off, he drove straight to Honor’s. He decided he needed a pep talk as well, and who better to give him one than his big sister, who always had his back.

“Little brother, it’s good to see you,” Honor said as she opened the door for him.

“Hey, big sis. Thanks for arranging this dinner for me.” He gave her a hug.

“Don’t mention it, Logan. I was a little nervous when you didn’t answer my calls for a few days. I’m happy now that you and Rory got to talk. I wish she were here so I could give her a big hug.” They sat down in the living room, where some refreshments were waiting for them.

“You know I can’t subject Rory and my unborn baby to Mom and Dad’s presence at the moment, who knows how they will react to the news. She’s spending the day with her father. Maybe I’ll bring her next time, when it’s just you, Josh, and the girls here.”

“Oh, I know. Did you send her my regards and congratulations? I’m so excited that you two are going to have a baby.”

“I did, she told me to tell you thanks. She appreciates how supportive you are of us. She’s at her father’s office right now, telling him about our news. I hope it goes well, because I have to pick her up later tonight at his house. He might threaten to kick my ass like he did the first time he saw me.”

Honor laughed. “I’m sure it will be all right, he’s probably more mellow than Mom and Dad.”

“Ugh. I’m dreading meeting Mom and Dad tonight.” He covered his eyes with his hand.

“Don’t worry, two against two makes us pretty much an even match with them.”

***

Mitchum and Shira Huntzberger arrived at a quarter past six, just in time for pre-dinner drinks. Logan chose to have a club soda instead of his usual because, as much as he needed liquid courage, he felt like he should act responsibly since he would be driving Rory home that night. Being sober would also make him mentally sharp to formulate arguments for his case.

“Honor, how are you? How are the girls?” Mitchum greeted.

“They’re fine, enjoying New York, I was told. Josh and the girls called just before you arrived.”

“Good. Those girls need to visit their grandpa and grandma when they come back. I’d like to hear their stories about New York first-hand.”

“Will do, Dad. Hi, Mom,” she greeted her mother, giving her a kiss in each cheek.

“Logan,” said Mitchum, shaking his son’s hand. “Glad you could join us.”

“Hi, Dad, hi, Mom,” he said, kissing his mother’s cheek after shaking hands with his father.

They talked mostly about trivial things during drinks, Mitchum occasionally asking for Logan’s input about their business dealings in the eastern seaboard. Honor kept glancing at him, worry etched on her forehead. She must think that he would back out and not tell their parents about the most important thing of all tonight. He gave her what he thought were reassuring looks to convey he was going through with his plan.

At a quarter past seven, the maid announced that dinner was ready so the family continued their conversation in the dining room. They managed to go through the hors d’oeuvre without a single setback. When the main course was served, the reality of the situation was getting to Logan and he could barely have a bite of his risotto. Honor kept nodding in his direction, signalling to him that it was time to tell his parents the truth about why they were there.

“Mom, Dad, I have something to tell you.”

“Uh-oh, here we go again,” said Mitchum, putting down his fork. “Let’s get this over with.”

“What are you talking about, Mitchum?” Shira turned to Logan. “What do you have to say to us?”

Logan looked to Honor, who was sitting next to him, for moral support. She smiled encouragingly at him and reached out to squeeze his hand.

“Mom, Dad, I don’t know how to say this, so I’ll just spit it out.” He took a deep breath. “You’re going to be grandparents for the third time.”

“You mean someone’s going to have your baby?” asked Mitchum.

Logan nodded.

“I don’t understand, you broke up with Odette. Did you get her pregnant?” Shira said, looking ready to leave the table. Mitchum just sat there, staring at Logan.

“The woman carrying my child is not Odette—”

“Oho!” Mitchum shouted.

“What?” Shira asked, looking at her husband like he lost his mind.

“Just tell them who it is, Logan,” Honor pleaded, wanting the evening to be over.

“It’s Rory, isn’t it?” Mitchum beat Logan to it. Logan could only nod again. Mitchum started laughing hysterically.

“Rory Gilmore?” Shira said, hands shaking. “Emily’s granddaughter, the one who broke you heart?”

“The very same, Mother.”

Mitchum was still laughing quietly in his seat. His mother seemed to be fine, although she looked dumbfounded. Honor looked bewildered at their parents’ reactions. Logan felt like he had to say more. He could not fathom what was going on, especially why his father was laughing.

“We’ve reconnected—”

“Obviously,” his father interrupted.

“I’m still very much in love with her.”

“Mitchum? What do you have to say about this?”

Mitchum turned to Logan. “You’re a sly one, Logan, bringing her to lunch in our family restaurant in London. I knew something was going on then.” He shook his head. Logan could not figure out whether his father was angry or not.

“Kindly enlighten me. Were you having an affair with the Gilmore girl when you were engaged with Odette?”

“Yes, Mom,” he answered, and not without shame.

“Logan, how could you?”

“I’m sorry, Mom, Dad, but I can’t deny who my heart beats for. Rory and I met in Hamburg more than a year ago.” He inhaled deeply. When no one interrupted him, he continued, “I was there for some business meetings, she was attending a week-long convention. We fell into our old habits right away. When I came back to London, I called her, asking, no, almost begging her to stay with me whenever she was in town. I knew she was going to have meetings with Naomi Shropshire, so I insisted that she stay with me and not in some crappy motel. She was hesitant, thinking that we should let what happened in Hamburg stay there. She had a boyfriend and she knew about my engagement. I wanted us to be together, but she was concerned that it would ruin the dynastic plan. Yes, Dad, I told her about that, too. She said she didn’t want to be in the way of what I was destined for. I was ready to give up, I thought I’d lost her forever, but she relented in the end, suggesting a no-strings relationship, much to my surprise. It was so unlike her. Nonetheless, I jumped at the opportunity to be with her. What can I say? All is fair in love and war, and I love her so much. We carried on like that for a year. Things became difficult when Odette moved in with me. It was a reality check for her. This summer, she decided we should stop seeing each other and broke my heart all over again. I, however, did not like they way things ended between us. I dragged my old mates to Stars Hollow for an evening of adventure with her, just like old times. Somehow, we ended up in New Hampshire, and, well,” he said, raising his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders. “In the morning, we said our goodbyes. She had decided that I had to fulfil your dynastic plan, Dad,” he said bitterly, staring at Mitchum, who said nothing. Shira and Honor were nearly in tears. “I made up my mind to fight for her, to fight for us both, before my plane back to London landed. You know the rest, except for what happened this past week.” His voice broke. He didn’t realise that tears had started pooling in his eyes.

“Go on, Logan, you’re almost done,” Honor urged him.

He nodded, drying his eyes with his napkin. “I went to Stars Hollow and witnessed a wedding reception.” His mother gasped. “Yup, I thought she got married as well. Honor, the reason why you couldn’t reach me this past week was because I turned my phone off and was moping around in some inn, thinking I’d lost the love of my life forever.”

“I didn’t know about the wedding reception bit,” Honor said.

“She didn’t get married to someone else, did she? I mean, she’s pregnant with your baby, son,” said Shira.

“No, Mom. It was her mother who got married.” He heard his mother heave a sigh of relief. Mitchum seemed unmoved. “Emily found me in the inn by mere chance. She was on her way home to Nantucket and decided to have a pit stop. I got my facts straight from her, God bless her. The next morning, I went to Stars Hollow again, and finally, Rory and I got a chance to talk. I told her about my broken engagement, she surprised me with the pregnancy news. That all happened yesterday. I’ll spare you the drama in between, so I’ll end my story here.”

He only had a few moments to wait to determine whether step three of the plan was a success.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, Logan comes off as emotional and sentimental in this chapter, in this story, really. I always saw the Logan in the revival as more serious than his younger self (although he still made some immature decisions) so I think he could pull off this speech.
> 
> Off-topic: Who's excited for Game of Thrones? MEEEE!!!!! Hehe! :P
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mitchum's reaction to his son's revelation. Logan meets Christopher.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Everyone at the table was quiet after Logan told his story. Honor and Shira were sniffling, obviously moved by his tale. His father remained quiet, staring into space.

“Well, I give up,” said Mitchum, finally speaking. “It’s pointless, really. You are determined to have your way.”

Logan suddenly got goosebumps all over his body. This sounded bad. His father was eyeing him shrewdly. His mother and sister were staring at Mitchum with wide glistening eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat. 

“I understand, Dad. Frankly, I expected this. I guess I’m giving you my two weeks notice right now. I can’t work for HPG anymore if you can’t accept my family.” His voice broke on the last sentence. He heard gasps of protest from Shira and Honor.

“Whoa, wait just a minute. You are not quitting the company. You haven’t even let me finish talking yet.”

“All right, go on,” said Logan, not sure where this was leading.

“This is what I wanted to say before I was rudely interrupted: I’m glad it’s Rory who’s going to be the mother of my future grandchild and not some random girl you got together with at the pub.”

Logan couldn’t believe his ears. Was he mad to think that his father was okay with all this? He knew he had converted his mother to his side by her gasps and sniffles, but his father? He stared at Mitchum, disbelief apparent in his eyes. Honor stifled an excited cry.

“She’s always had sense, that girl, but not when it came to you, clearly. Anyway, lucky you, I guess. Although you foiled the dynastic plan, I’ll rest easy knowing you’ll end up with someone who can keep you in line.” His father paused, then chuckled. “Did I tell you about the time Rory told me off for not visiting you in hospital after you had your idiotic accident in Costa Rica?” Logan shook his head. “I guess I didn’t tell anyone about it. She convinced me to see you after chastising me over the phone. I’m glad you’re having a baby with someone who cares as much about you as you do for her.”

“Thanks, Dad.” He could not utter another word. He was still processing everything his father had said.

“Oh, Logan, come here.” His mother enveloped him in a hug. “We have to invite Rory over for dinner with the whole family when Josh, Hope, and Grace arrive from New York. God knows I need to apologise to her for my awful behaviour towards her when you first brought her to our home.”

“I’ll see what I can do, Mom, but I can’t promise anything. She’s a bit fragile at the moment, you know, pregnancy hormones. I don’t want to overwhelm her.”

“Oh, take all the time you need. We can have the family dinner when she’s ready. Maybe I should reach out to Emily, we’ll have a lot of things to discuss, I imagine.”

“Congratulations, little brother. You’re going to be a father, and you managed not to get yelled at by Mom and Dad.” Honor beamed at him, standing up to clap his shoulder.

“Thanks, sis. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Congratulations, son,” said Mitchum, standing up as well to shake his hand. “The family business is secured for two generations. I’m happy your heir is on the way. Although with us Huntzbergers, the firstborn is always a girl, so maybe not. I’ll be happy no matter what the baby’s sex is. He or she is another grandchild that I can spoil.”

The rest of them shook their heads.

“Girls can be heiresses, too, Dad; times have changed. But, who knows? Given Logan’s rebellious nature, his baby could be a boy, the first male Huntzberger firstborn in generations.”

***

After half-an-hour, Logan was making his way to the Hayden mansion on the other side of town. He could not believe how well dinner went. Never in his life had his parents acted so unlike themselves. Well, not totally unlike themselves. His mother had hinted a few times over pudding about a wedding that is bound to happen soon. His father seconded his mother’s thoughts, only more bluntly. He told Logan it was imperative that no grandchild of his would be born out of wedlock. Logan could only reply to his parents that he would try his best to get Rory to commit but that they not expect a wedding to happen anytime soon, given his and Rory’s track record on engagements.

He sighed as he turned a corner, worried about meeting Christopher. He was more easy-going than his parents, but every father can be expected to be angry with the man who knocked up his daughter in very unusual circumstances.

He parked his car in the cul-de-sac where the Hayden mansion was located. As he climbed the steps leading to the front door, he mentally psyched himself for the inevitable confrontation. No matter what Christopher would say, he would take it as a man. He would show Rory’s father that he was not like him. He would never let anything or anyone come between him and Rory.

When he reached the front door, he texted Rory that he had arrived. It was 9 pm, and not being sure if Rory’s grandmother Francine had retired for the night, he took his chance and knocked on the door instead of ringing the doorbell, hoping someone would hear.

The door opened immediately, revealing not the maid but Rory’s father.

“Logan,” said Christopher with a little nod of acknowledgement.

“Hello, Christopher. Is Rory ready to go?” He loosened his tie.

“She’s upstairs with her sister and grandma. What’s the rush? Come in, have a drink with me.” He opened the door wider for Logan to pass.

“Okay,” he said, entering. He was led to the sitting room. Christopher sat across him on a wingback chair. He had a calm demeanour, but Logan was sure that somewhere, he harboured some form of hostility towards him.

“You have a lovely home.”

“Thank you. I bought the house when I decided to have a go at the family business. I even persuaded my mom to live with me and Gigi.”

“Oh. Cool.” Wow! He sounded rather dull-witted.

“How about that drink, then?”

“No, thanks. I’ll be driving Rory home, I can’t have anything with alcohol in it.”

“How about a soft drink?” Christopher said slowly.

“Oh, no, it’s okay.” He sounded stupider by the minute. The room suddenly felt 10 degrees warmer and he started sweating.

“So.”

“Umm.”

Things started to get really awkward between them. Christopher cleared his throat.

“So, Logan, you got my daughter pregnant. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kick your ass right now,” he said calmly.

Something about the way Christopher quietly said the words made the threat more menacing. Logan understood how he felt, nonetheless. He wasn’t proud of what he’d done with Rory.

“Listen, Christopher, I know you have every right to by angry with me. I’m sorry that the circumstances of this happening are so disreputable, but the truth is, I’m in love with your daughter. I’ll spend my entire lifetime proving that to you, Lorelai, and most especially, Rory, if I have to. We have a child on the way to think about now. I only want what’s best for Rory and the baby. I’m going to be there for Rory and our baby, always. You can kick my ass if you want, but you can never get rid of me.”

“No one is kicking anybody’s ass, not if I can help it.”

“Rory.”

Logan turned around to see her going down the stairs. She went to sit beside Logan on the sofa and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He instinctively sought her hand to hold. She gave it a small squeeze and turned to her father.

“What have you been saying to him, Dad?”

“Nothing, kiddo. I was just making sure that he got his priorities straight. No hard feelings, right, Logan?” Chris offered his hand for Logan to shake.

“No harm, no foul.” He shook Chris’s hand.

“I see you’re still in one piece. I take it the meeting with your parents went well?”

“It did, Ace. It went so much better than I expected.”

“Really? I can’t wait to hear the details.” Rory stifled a yawn.

“I’m guessing you’re tired out from your day. Do you want me to take you home now?”

Rory nodded, resting her head on Logan’s shoulder.

“I thought Gigi let you take a nap on her bed. Was she bothering you constantly that you weren’t able to sleep?”

“No, I took a nap. Gigi was able to contain her excitement about being an aunt and let me sleep like the good little sister that she is. This pregnancy just really makes me very tired. We have to go now, Dad.”

“Okay, kid,” Chris said, standing up with them. “Don’t forget the steak for Paul Anka and the antique rattle that Mom passed on to you.”

The maid came at that moment with a plastic container with Paul Anka’s steak and Rory’s coat. Logan helped Rory with her coat then got the steak from her. Chris handed Rory a case that contained the antique baby rattle.

“Thanks for lunch, dinner, and everything else, Dad.”

“You’re welcome, kiddo. Take care of that rattle. It’s been handed down to Hayden firstborns for generations. I thought I lost it, but apparently, your grandma has been keeping it safe for you.” He paused. “Don’t let the baby play with it, though. Who knows what germs are on it. Keep it as a family heirloom to pass on to your firstborn when the time comes.”

“It was nice of grandma to give it to me.”

“Hey, the baby’s a firstborn Hayden, too, you know, just like you and me, even if he’s a Huntzberger.”

“Not to mention a Gilmore, Dad.”

“Of course. See you around, kiddo,” Chris said as he ushered them to the front door and gave Rory a big hug. “Thanks for telling Gigi she could be godmother to the baby. That cheered her up a lot. It’s hard having a sulky teenager around the house. Being cut from the cheerleading team really got her down.”

“I’m glad I could help. I even convinced her to tryout for the girls’ football team.”

Chris nodded appreciatively. To Logan, he said, “You’re welcome anytime here, Logan.” He offered him his hand again to shake.

“Thanks, Christopher.”

“Bye, Dad.”

“Bye, kid. Drive safely now. Take care.”

***

Logan parked the car and looked at the sleeping form of Rory in the passenger seat. He fingered the box in his suit pocket. No. It was not the right time. They both had had a very long day. The most crucial step of his plan had to wait. How many steps where there to the plan again? He was bad at making lists, that had always been Rory’s forte. He didn’t really care about the steps now. He just wanted everything to work out in the end. He tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear then gently shook her shoulder.

“Ace, we’re home.”

“Hmm?” Rory yawned. “Five more minutes.”

“C’mon, you’ll sleep better once you’re in your own bed.”

“Will you be my pillow again?”

“Sure.” He smiled.

As they got ready for bed, Logan couldn’t help but wonder at how happy he always felt whenever he was with Rory. Even the mundane task of brushing their teeth together in the bathroom sink filled him with contentment. It seemed silly, but he couldn’t explain it. Her presence always made the world a bit brighter for him. And now, they were going to have a baby. He just knew that his child would also evoke the same feelings in him. He cannot wait to meet their little bundle of joy.

“Are you ready to be tucked in?” he asked Rory when she appeared in the doorway.

“Yeah, I’ve said goodnight to Paul Anka. Babette said he’s been doing better about being left alone.”

“That’s good. Come here.” He opened his arms wide for her in his position on the bed.

She bounced on the bed, accidentally bonking his chin with her head.

“Ouch. Remind me to get you a bigger bed for your room. I think you’ve outgrown this one,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I don’t think my mommy would like that, I’m not supposed to have sleepovers with a boy in my room,” she joked.

They both laughed. They cuddled in silence for a few minutes. When Logan was about to fall asleep, Rory suddenly nudged him.

“Hmm?”

“Logan, do you want to talk about what happened with our families today? We already know that it went well for both of us, but I want details.”

“Not now, Ace, you need your sleep. We’ll dissect every single thing that happened tomorrow at breakfast, if you like.”

“Okay.” She snuggled even closer to him.

He tenderly took her face in his hand and kissed her gently. She responded eagerly to the kiss; in just a few seconds, it became heated. Logan changed his position and was now hovering over her, kissing her intensely.

“I thought it was my bedtime,” she managed to say when he peppered her neck with kisses.

“I think it’s okay for you to stay awake for another hour.” He continued kissing her neck. She laughed. “But, really, Ace. You need a bigger bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I thought about creating some drama at this point in the story, especially with Mitchum, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I mean, didn’t the revival provide us with enough drama already? The open ending was brilliant in the sense that viewers could make their own interpretations of what would happen next, but, dammit, it still drives me crazy! Anyway, I’ve decided to stay away from the angsty stuff. I want Rory and Logan to be happy and not plagued by serious drama.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan goes to Nantucket with Rory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

The next day, Rory and Logan were having iced coffee, decaf, of course, just after lunch in a coffee shop outside Stars Hollow. Logan had taken Rory out as a treat because both of them were sick of being stuck in the house babysitting Paul Anka. Lane had taken the dog for the afternoon; Rory had invited her over to tell her about the pregnancy. She and Logan had spent most of the morning filling each other in about their meetings with their families the day before, and both had decided that their close friends should know, too. Lane almost dropped the jar of Mrs. Kim’s homemade kimchi that she had brought for the Gilmores when Logan answered the door.

Rory was absentmindedly stirring her drink while Logan was reading his emails. They were both wearing their Yale jumpers, which was Rory’s idea. Logan thought it was a little cheesy, but he agreed to wear it anyway because he did not want to cross a pregnant woman. Who knows what she will do to him if he had said no. Her hormones were out of whack these days.

“Let’s make a list of people who know we’re having a baby,” Rory said out of the blue.

“Okay. I know how much you love making lists,” Logan smirked, giving her his full attention.

“I’ll start. There’s Mom, Luke, Dad, Grandma Francine, Gigi, and Lane.”

“And my mother, father, Honor, and probably Josh, too, by now, and my nieces. Shoot!” He smacked his forehead with his palm. “We haven’t told your grandma Emily yet. In the excitement and confusion of the past few days, I completely forgot that she wanted an update on our situation.”

“Perhaps we should visit her.”

“Visit? In Nantucket? And, did you say we, as in, you and me?”

“Yeah, why not, Logan?”

“Ace, a couple of days ago, you told me you can never face her again. Also, are you bringing me along with you because you’re afraid of what your grandma is going to say to you about all this?” He gestured with his hands in her general direction.

“You know me so well, Huntzberger,” she said, reaching over the small table and patting his shoulder. He caught her hand and held it in his own. “Plus, pregnant women change their minds constantly. You know, Grandma’s going to be pissed that your parents and my other grandma knew ahead of her. Informing her in person could soften the blow of what we have to say.”

“All right, then, Ace, if you want me to be there, I’ll be there.”

“I do.” She squeezed his hand.

“Just promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“You’ll be the one who will singlehandedly tell Paris about our baby.”

***

The rest of the day was spent planning a trip to Nantucket. Rory called Lorelai again to tell her about their plans and to consult her on whether they should bring Paul Anka with them or not. Logan wanted to bring the dog but Rory wasn’t quite sure that it was a good idea. In the end, Lorelai made the decision for them. She said Paul Anka was better off being left in the care of Babette and Morey, since they didn’t know how he would react to a road trip. Rory made the arrangements at once with her next-door neighbours. Babette and Morey were happy to oblige. Fortunately for Rory, Babette didn’t pry about the status of her relationship with Logan. She told Logan when she came back, but Logan just shrugged and started talking about their trip again.

He convinced Rory that they should take a plane to Nantucket instead of driving by car because it would be more comfortable for her. He made all the reservations and even arranged for an Uber to pick them up at the airport.

After that, all that was left to do was to pack for the trip and talk about how they would break the news to Emily.

***

A few days later, they found themselves staring at Emily’s new Nantucket residence. It was a cheerful cottage, painted white, with large picture windows that had an extensive view of the sea.

“Here goes nothing,” Logan said nervously as he knocked on the front door.

It was opened by Berta, who recognised Rory and ushered them in, speaking in an unintelligible language that sounded a lot like Spanish. They left their bags near the front door and asked for Emily. Berta motioned for them to sit down, then she went away presumably to find Rory’s grandmother. They waited on the sofa for half a minute before she arrived.

“Rory, and Logan! What a wonderful surprise!” She was indeed surprised, but she also had on a knowing smile. “Why, you’re glowing, Rory.” Logan visibly paled at her words. He glanced at Rory and she looked taken aback. They had the presence of mind to stand up, Rory to hug and kiss Emily, and Logan to shake her hand.

“You’ve got a charming seaside cottage, Grandma. I like it.”

“Wait till you see the beach, Rory, you’ll love it. It’s too cold to have a dip at this time of year, but the view is still wonderful,” She turned to Logan and said, “So, I take it that you and Rory have made up?” He nodded and smiled at her. “Good. Have a seat, both of you.”

“Grandma, I’m sorry about the whole Vegas thing. Logan told me how disappointed you were about it. I don’t know what came over me when I suggested it.” She hung her head.

Emily waved her hand. “Let bygones be bygones. I’m just happy that you two are together again. You are, aren’t you?” She raised an eyebrow.

“We are,” both of them said as Logan reached for Rory’s hand to hold.

Emily beamed at them delightedly. Berta came in with a tray of refreshments and set it at the coffee table.

“Would you like some tea?” Emily offered.

“Yes, gladly,” said Logan.

“What kind of tea is this, Grandma?” Rory enquired casually while taking a cup from Emily.

“It’s English breakfast, it’s the only tea we have.” Rory put down her cup and saucer and glanced apprehensively at Logan. “Oh, right, you and Lorelai always have coffee. Berta, please make Rory a coffee.” She gestured stirring something to the maid. “Café.”

“Sí, café para Señorita Rory.”

Berta made to go but was interrupted by Rory.

“Um, decaf,” Rory cried out after her.

“No decaf, lo siento.”

“I’ll just have some juice, then. Jugo, por favor.”

By this time, alarm bells were ringing inside Rory and Logan’s heads. Logan’s cup was raised halfway to his lips and it stayed there.

“What has gotten into you, child?” Emily asked, a little annoyed. “Berta, some juice for Rory instead, no café, juice.”

Berta nodded and went to fetch some juice.

“Thank you!” Rory called out.

“I thought you loved coffee for the caffeine. Decaf.” Emily shook her head. “It’s the first time I heard you say that.”

“Nice place you’ve got here, Emily,” said Logan, rescuing Rory since she became tongue-tied.

“Thank you, Logan, though I dare say your property in Martha’s Vineyard is far superior to this house.”

“That house is old, creaky, and temperamental. I think it’s due for a makeover. Frankly, I think it would be better to build a new house somewhere in the property.”

Berta came in with Rory’s orange juice.

“Hmm. So, how’s your family?”

“As good as they’ll ever be.”

“Do they know about you and Rory?” she asked with pursed lips.

“I may have mentioned Rory when I had dinner with them.”

“And?”

“Well, my parents have finally accepted that we’re together.”

“Interesting,” Emily said, eyeing both of them closely. Rory was starting to fidget and nearly spilled her juice. Logan kept stirring his cup of tea, even though he didn’t put milk nor sugar in it.

Emily was now looking at them beadily. “What brings you two here in Nantucket?” She was looking at Rory while saying the last part.

Rory and Logan were practically squirming in their seats now.

“Grandma,” Rory began but couldn’t finish. She took a sip of her juice.

Logan took one of her hands and squeezed it encouragingly. A few seconds passed and still, Rory could not speak.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, Rory, just spit it out,” her grandmother exclaimed.

There was no easy way to confess the truth. Logan thought he would just say it and get it over with. He opened his mouth to speak but Rory beat him to it.

“Grandma, Logan and I,” Logan squeezed her hand again for encouragement. “We’re going to have a baby. I’m almost six weeks pregnant.”

Both Rory and Logan let out a huge sigh of relief despite the nerves they felt. Finally, the secret was out. Emily sat straight on her chair, looking at them both, not saying anything or giving away any kind of emotion. This went on for a while, until Rory interrupted it.

“Grandma? Are you okay?”

Her voice seemed to bring Emily out of her stupor.

“Just give me a moment, dear, I think I saw my life flashing before my eyes.”

Logan couldn’t decide whether Emily took the news well or not. She appeared to be calm but the life-flashing-before-my-eyes bit was disconcerting.

“Can I get you another cup of tea, Emily?” Logan offered, not sure what to do.

“We’re sorry to spring this on you, Grandma,” Rory said apologetically. “You must be so disappointed with me. We didn’t intend for this to happen, but I’d like you to know that we’re keeping this baby. We can leave now if you want.” Rory was on the verge of tears.

It must have been quite a shock to Rory’s grandma that what happened to her daughter was happening to her granddaughter now. The circumstances were different, Lorelai was only sixteen when she became pregnant with Rory, while Rory was already 32, but there was still a baby coming, and apparently from her point of view, also out of wedlock.

“No, no, you two stay put. Just give me a moment, I had a little déjà vu.”

They remained quiet while Emily seemed to go back to her trance. After a few minutes, Emily appeared to have regained control over her senses.

“So, how is this going to work? I can only say that a child needs a mother and a father.”

Logan was now tapping his foot, a habit that came out when he was particularly stressed out. They were going to get sermoned, he knew it. Logan calmed down a bit when Rory squeezed his hand reassuringly. He had not realised they were still holding hands. That squeeze seemed to give him courage to speak up.

“Rory and I know that the baby needs us both in his life. We are going to try our hardest to be the best parents to our child. I love your granddaughter very much, and I love our baby so much, too.”

Rory nodded, squeezing Logan’s hand again. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.

Emily let out a huge sigh of relief.

“Good. How did your father take the news?”

“Oddly enough, extremely well, actually. My mother and my sister Honor are quite on board with this as well.”

“Huh, Shira, too? I did not expect that. I reckon Lorelai already knows, Rory?”

“Yes, Grandma. She was just as shocked as you when I told her, but she’s gotten over it. She told Luke before they went on their honeymoon. They’re both excited to be grandparents. I’m quite happy about this pregnancy now that Logan finally knows about it.”

“And Christopher, does he know?”

“Yes, I had lunch with Dad a couple of days ago, and spent the rest of the day with the Haydens.”

“Do you mean that Francine knows about this as well?”

“Yes, and so does Gigi. Dad actually blurted it out when we had dinner with them,” she said nervously.

“So, I was the last to know,” Emily huffed.

“We’re really sorry, Emily. We were in so much stress about how my parents will react to this that we forgot to update you on things.”

“It’s quite all right, now,” she said. “When the baby comes, you must visit me for two weeks in the summer and a week at Christmas. I talked to your mother about this arrangement, and she has agreed to it. It would be nice to have all of us together as a family. I think it’s brilliant that the baby’s birthday is going to be in the summer. You can spend his or her birthday here. What child wouldn’t want a birthday party at the beach every year?” She finally smiled at them. She was a sly old fox, and apparently, good at maths, too. “I’m planning to buy next door’s house from those Blackstone pricks, you know. I’m confident they’ll sell it to me. By then, I’ll have enough room for all of us.”

“That’s great, Grandma.” Rory said, although she eyed Logan warily. He winked at her and smirked.

“Well, I think that’s brilliant, Emily. I’d gladly spend holidays here with you than the Huntzberger clan. I’m happy I’ll finally have a valid excuse to ditch those tedious family gatherings.” To Rory, he said, “Trust me, Ace, you wouldn’t want to go to any of those parties.”

They spent a few minutes quietly sipping their drinks. Logan was happy about how things were working out. Members of their immediate family were all on board with the pregnancy. He thought this was all a beautiful dream, one he did not want to wake up from. Everything in his life was finally falling into place.

He looked at Rory, who was now happily chatting with her grandma. He loved her so much that he couldn’t help but smile from ear-to-ear just watching her. He never felt happier in his life than at this moment. He thought about the small box in his travel bag.

“So,” Emily cut into his reverie. “When are you getting married?”

He choked on his tea. He did not know that Emily Gilmore was a mind reader as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking we're at the halfway point in the story now.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan brings Rory to Maine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

The words uttered by Emily had Rory and Logan thinking about what they had left unsaid since their reunion. True, they had been together for less than a week, but in true Rory and Logan fashion, things had happened in warp speed in their relationship, mostly on the physical aspect. They talked, of course, but they never did about how to move forward with their lives together.

They ended up on the beach, sitting on a soft towel with sand between their toes, meaning to have a long serious talk about where their intertwined lives will take them in the future. The breeze smelled of salt and the sea, and the waves could be heard crashing on the shore, but Logan could only focus on his own thoughts.

They had bundled up in warm clothing but walked barefoot in the sand, seeking privacy near the water’s edge. At the moment, though, none of them was talking.

Logan had a dilemma. He wanted to propose to Rory, that was a given. It had been his plan all along, but Emily springing it on them like that made him want to do it and not do it at the same time. It was a question of timing, he reasoned. He did not want Rory to think that he proposed because her grandmother pressured him to do it. He looked at her then.

Her brows were furrowed. He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her forehead a kiss.

“A penny for you thoughts?”

She smiled at him.

“I’m sorry about Grandma, Logan. She has always been so forward.”

“Nah, it’s okay. My parents mentioned something of the sort, too.”

“They did?”

“Yeah. People from high society, people in general, are always like that, they can’t help it.” He became silent for a while. “So, what do you think, Ace?”

“About what?”

“You know what.” He hugged her with both arms and kissed her temple.

“Well,” she started slowly. “I guess, at some point, we’ll have to cave in to their demands, right?”

“You really think so?” He raised his eyebrows, amazed she said those words.

“I was thinking that the less we struggle against them, the more we gain our freedom.”

“Ace, you lost me,” he chuckled.

“Look, what I’m saying is, if we let them think they convinced us to do this, they can’t demand more from us, like where we live, how we raise our baby, and so on.”

“If you say so, Ace. Wait a second, did you just propose to me?” he teased, smirking at her.

She rolled her eyes at him. “You wish, Huntzberger.” In a more serious tone, she added, “I’m not saying that we should get married. All I’m saying is that we not deny to them that we will.”

“All right, Ace. You’re the boss. I love you.” He was a little disappointed with how she worded her last sentence, but he let it go, for now.

“I love you, too, Huntzberger.”

He kissed her on the lips and in no time at all, they were snogging on the beach.

***

Logan was checking if they packed their bags with everything just outside the front door when he overheard Rory and her grandma talking.

“Do you really have to go?”

“Yes, Grandma. Logan is going to show me the lake house in Maine. He offered to let me use the place for my writing before. Logan insists that I check it out now since he’s here in the country. He says none of his family uses it.”

“I thought you already found your place to write.”

“I did, but I need to find a new place.”

“You’ve only just arrived, and now you’re leaving.”

“It’s okay, Grandma, we’ll visit you again,” said Rory.

Logan could hear them both sniffling. He decided to interrupt them at the moment before their exchange became a full blown cry-fest. Rory cried over the smallest things these days, and it was hard to stop her from crying. It must the pregnancy hormones at work.

“You ready to go, Ace?” he said, peeking through the door.

“Yes,” replied Rory as she disentangled herself from her grandma’s arms.

“Thank you for being such a gracious hostess, Emily.”

“You’re welcome, Logan. It’s really nothing, you’re going to be my future grandson-in-law, after all.”

Rory and Logan looked at each other, Logan raising his eyebrows at her and smirking.

“Bye, Grandma,” Rory said, kissing Emily’s cheek.

“You’ll visit soon, I hope?”

“We’ll visit you again before I leave for London,” Logan promised.

“Have a safe flight.”

“Take care, Grandma.”

***

“Wow! Your lake house is amazing.” Rory looked around the main living room of the Huntzbergers’ Maine lakeside property, taking in the high ceilings. “How come nobody spends their time here?”

“I guess everyone prefers going to Martha’s Vineyard instead. I came here a few times with the Life and Death Brigade boys when we were still in university.”

“Did Finn get drunk and run around naked here?”

“You guessed right.”

They laughed. They sat together for a while on the sofa.

The Huntzbergers’ Maine house was located just a few meters from the lakeshore. There was enough space in the backyard to host a small party of guests for a barbecue and there was a fire pit near the lake’s edge to roast marshmallows with. There was also a bench swing which faced the lake next to some Adirondack chairs. A small wooden jetty jutted out to the lake where you could dock a rowboat and even jets skis. The gravel beach was large enough to park at least five kayaks on each side where the jetty began.

The house itself was a mix of Victorian and craftsman style architecture. There was a circular room on the second floor with a conical roof which provided a 270º view of the property. Most of the windows facing the lake were floor-to-ceiling. It was a large house, but it did not have the grand furniture which adorned the Huntzberger mansion in Hartford. This house had a more homey feel, that’s why Logan loved it.

Rory walked to a tall window and looked out to the lake outside. Logan followed her, hugged her from behind, kissed her neck, then settled his head on her shoulder.

“Like what you see, Ace?”

She nodded. “The view is breathtaking, Logan.”

“I’m glad. That room there is a small library with a lakefront view,” he said, pointing to an open door. “Do you think this place can inspire you to write more chapters of your book?”

“Yeah, definitely. In fact, I think I might go to the library now and get to writing, if you don’t mind. I’ve been slacking the past couple of days, after all.”

“I don’t mind at all. I’ll go get your MacBook.” He smiled at her and gave her a kiss before he got her computer.

***

“Rory, I think you need a break.”

“Wait, Huntzberger, I’m on fire right now.”

Rory had been cooped up in the library for hours.

“Okay, I’ll give you a few more minutes, but I need you to eat dinner with me.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s almost 7:30, Ace, and I’m starving.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You’re so in the zone that you barely noticed the time pass.” He kissed her temple as he moved to her place by the desk. “I’m surprised you even managed to finish your lunch.” He looked at the empty plate beside her computer.

“Thanks for the turkey on rye, by the way. It was excellent.”

“You’re welcome. When you’re ready, dinner will be waiting for you, al fresco.”

“Ooh, sounds good. Seems like I wasn’t the only one busy today, huh?”

“Well, I had to entertain myself by cooking up a storm, Ace.”

“I’ll be done in a couple of minutes. In the meantime, give me a proper kiss.”

He smirked and kissed her sensuously.

“My, what’s got into you?” Rory laughed when they parted, a little breathless.

“There’s more where that came from.” He winked at her as he got out of the room.

***

Dinner was a romantic affair taking place at the covered back porch of the house. They dined by candlelight, and although it was mid-autumn, it was pleasantly cool outside. Logan had prepared perfectly grilled lobster with a lemon-butter sauce, scalloped potatoes, and a salad. He was amused when Rory ate everything on her plate, including the salad.

After dinner, they stargazed for some time, sitting on the bench swing near the water. Rory declared she was done writing for the day.

“Ace, do you think the baby is a boy or girl?” Logan asked as he gently placed his hand on her barely-there baby bump.

“I’m certain she’s a girl,” she said confidently as she put her hand above his.

“He could be a boy. I think he’s a boy.”

“I’ve got my first ultrasound appointment a few days from now, I forgot to mention. Would you like to go with me? I’m pretty sure that the doctor can’t make out the sex of the baby yet, it’s too early to tell.”

“Of course I’ll go with you. I’ll go with you to all doctor’s appointments from now on.”

“Whoa, Logan,” she laughed. “You have to go back to London in less than two weeks. It’s okay if you can’t make it to every one of my checkups. I’ll send you pictures of the baby every time I get an ultrasound.”

“Okay, Ace, but I’ll try my best to make it to all of them. I guess we’ll have to head back to Connecticut sooner than I expected. I wonder how Paul Anka is doing?”

“Oh, I called Babette when I was in the library earlier and she said he’s fine. Mom and Luke are arriving back tomorrow, so you can stop worrying about him.”

Logan stiffened a little.

“Relax, Logan. I’m sure Mom and Luke won’t bite your head off when we meet them, you are my baby’s father, after all.” She smiled at him and gave his cheek a kiss. “I promise I’ll protect you from Mom and Luke,” she joked.

He nodded absentmindedly. He kissed her gently and she smiled into the kiss. He thought he would propose to her here in Maine, but it looked like the timing was off yet again. Somehow, he knew that he would have to ask Lorelai’s permission to marry Rory, just like he did before. He only hoped she would not be too angry with him when they met face-to-face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My mind's in full GoT mode at the moment, so I hope this makes sense. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan has a surprise for Rory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

“Logan, why do I have to wear this blindfold,” Rory complained while she sat in the backseat with Logan beside her.

Their plane landed in Hartford 10 minutes ago and they were now in a hired car to a destination only Logan knew.

“I have a surprise for you, Ace.”

“Is this another Life and Death Brigade stunt? Don’t get me wrong, I love the boys, but you must understand, I have to be careful, given my situation and all.” She pointed at her midsection.

“It’s going to be just us this time, don’t worry, nothing too scary or physically demanding. Just keep the blindfold on. Seriously, I wouldn’t let you do anything that could harm the baby.”

“All right,” she surrendered. “I think I’ll just take a nap.”

“You do that,” he said as he wrapped an arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder.

***

When they arrived at their destination, Logan carefully shook her awake.

“Rory, were here. Keep the blindfold on for a bit.”

He helped her out of the car and they both thanked Frank for driving them from the airport. When he had gone, Logan positioned her to stand next to him.

“When is the blindfold coming off?”

“It’s coming off right now.” He took it off her and yelled, “Surprise!”

Logan watched her as she found herself in front of a black gate with pillars on the sides bearing the number 61. The house looked as it always had.

“My grandparents’ old house?” She looked at him sideways quizzically.

“Yup.” He looked pleased with himself.

“My grandma put it up for sale weeks ago. I don’t know if we can go in. I think we would be trespassing.”

“No we won’t,” he told her confidently, pulling her by the hand and leading the way to the house.

By the time they reached the front door, Rory’s eyes widened as she turned to look at him.

“Logan, what did you do?” she asked.

“I bought the house,” he said, grinning widely as he dangled a set of keys in front of her. “It’s yours.”

“What? You can’t. What is it with you and giving me keys?” She shook her head at him.

He ignored what she said and pulled her by the hand. “Let’s go inside.”

He to guided her into the foyer. He could see Rory looking around wistfully once they got inside. Some of the furniture and all of the paintings were missing, and the place looked bigger than before. Logan noticed that she became teary-eyed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“C’mon, Ace, there’s something I want you to see.”

He led her to her grandfather’s study. As she stepped inside, a tear rolled down her cheek. It looked the same to Logan, Richard’s desk in its usual spot, the bookshelves lined with his books save some volumes. When he focused his attention on Rory, she smiled at him as he wiped her cheek with his thumb.

“It’s wonderful how this room looks as if grandpa never left it. It gets me every time. It’s just as I remembered. I was here a few weeks ago. I wrote the first few chapters of my book here.”

She went over to the desk and sat down on her grandfather’s chair. She looked happy. He thought maybe she was recalling fond memories of her grandfather.

“I didn’t know that, but I’m glad you found this study as the place to write your book.” Logan took one of the seats in front of the desk. “When I first came to see the house after I bought it, I was surprised that this room was still completely furnished, all the others are lacking something or other.”

“It was probably too hard for grandma to go over all of grandpa’s stuff in here.” She let her eyes roam around the study. “She let me take whatever I wanted from this room before she put the house up for sale. I have got some of his favourite books at home with me.”

“Well, Ace, this study is yours, to finish your book with.”

“I might take you in on that offer,” she said as she went over to him and pecked his cheek. “I’m not taking the whole house, though. Grandma doesn’t know that you’re the one who bought the place. How come?”

He stood up to hug her and kiss her lightly. “I let Colin buy the place for me, then I bought it off him. I think he swiped all of your grandfather’s Scotch, though,” he said with a grin.

“Ah, I should have known,” Rory nodded. Colin was an expert at buying things, especially things that he didn’t need, and especially when he was drunk.

“It was lucky your grandma didn’t remember who he was. I wanted this house to be a gift to you when I had convinced you to be with me again. So, do you like the surprise?” He peered into her eyes, his hands squeezing her upper arms.

“Well, I like that you’re the one who bought this house and that I can continue to write in my grandpa’s study, but I’m still not taking the house.”

“Not even for the baby?” He pouted. Not even if you become my wife? Of course you will by then. What’s mine is yours, as it has always been.

She interrupted his thoughts. “The baby can have this house when she’s older.”

“That’s good enough for me,” he said, giving her another gentle kiss. “For now,” he added. “You have to help me pick out some new furniture. What room do you reckon would be best to serve as the nursery? And hey, the baby’s a boy.”

She rolled her eyes at him but he could tell she was very happy about the whole thing.

He led her upstairs and stopped outside one room.

“Ace, how about this room? Do you think it’s good enough to be the nursery?”

“The one that was mine when my grandparents kicked me out of the pool house?”

“Right next to your grandparents’ room, you told me.” He smirked.

“It was your fault that I got kicked out.”

“Hey, it takes two to do the nasty.” He was laughing by now. “Besides, this room is very conveniently located beside the master bedroom.”

Rory stuck out her tongue at him, which made him laugh even more. Then she said, “It makes sense. Yes, this can be the baby’s room.”

“I’m relieved you said that.” He opened the door to reveal another surprise.

The walls were painted pastel blue except for the wall with the window which was a light grey. Stencilled on the blue walls were small white stars arranged in a spiralling pattern. The crib, changing table, rocking chair, and chest of drawers were coloured white, while the crib bedding and chair cushions were grey and white with a striped chevron pattern. The built-in shelves were lined with stuffed animals and baby books.

Rory’s eyes watered. “Logan, it’s perfect. How did you pull this off? You were with me the whole time.” She went to the crib and touched the baby blanket tenderly.

He grinned from ear-to-ear. He loved the sight of her in the nursery. “I had Honor’s help. I got consulted with everything, of course. So, you really like it? We can add things or change the room once we know if we’re having a boy or a girl.’

“I love it just the way it is. Thank you.” She ran to him, threw her arms around his neck, almost knocking him over, and planted a big kiss on his lips.

“Whoa, careful there, Ace,” he said when the kiss ended. He hugged her tightly. “The other rooms still need new furniture, but I got a new king-sized bed for the master bedroom.”

“It’s good that you thought of that. It would be weird to sleep in my grandparents’ bed.” She shuddered at the thought.

“Are you saying that you’re going to stay here with me?” His smirk was back.

“When you’re here in Connecticut,” she said with a little pout.

“Hey, I’ll talk to my father. I’ll ask for a transfer to the East Coast. The London team can spare me.”

“Don’t make any promises, Logan.” Her eyes glistened with tears.

“It’s all right, Ace. I’ll make sure that we still spend a lot of time together. You can go to London anytime you want, and I’ll visit as much as I can. You can stay here whenever you want, only, bring someone with you. Consider this your second home. Use your grandfather’s study to write anytime you wish.”

She nodded as she looked at him. He kissed her gently.

“Now, what do you say about inspecting the pool house?” He winked at her.

She smiled and shook her head. “I hate it when you work blue.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a part of another story, but I discontinued it, so this chapter makes its appearance here instead. Also, I have decided that there are going to be 20 chapters in all, including an epilogue.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan meets Lorelai. Also, a doctor's appointment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

On the day that Rory and Logan arrived back in Hartford, they spent the entire time in Gilmore House, which was what they decided to call Logan’s most recent acquisition. Rory showed Logan around since she was more familiar with the place, and they consulted each other on what each of the rooms needed. Logan, for the most part, agreed with whatever Rory wanted, which made her happy. The task took quite a while, but after having a Mexican takeaway dinner, they spent some quality time in the pool house.

Before falling asleep, Logan expressed his genuine fear of meeting Lorelai the next day. Rory comforted him by saying that she would be by his side throughout the whole thing. That helped a lot, but he could not shake his fear in its entirety.

***

As they were driving down Stars Hollow’s busiest street, Logan noticed that people kept looking at them, some even pointing at him and Rory. It made him more jumpy and he kept drumming his fingers on the steering wheel of the car.

“Do you want me to drive, Logan?” Rory asked, concerned.

“I’m fine, just a little nervous,” he reassured her. “Why do people keep pointing at us?”

“Probably because it’s the first time they’ve seen a Porsche Cayenne in the streets of Stars Hollow.”

“They’ve seen me drive this car around a couple of times already, Ace, and during those times, they weren’t pointing at me or giving me the evil eye.”

“Babette probably blabbed about us.”

“What?”

“I’ve told you before that she and Ms Patty are the town’s biggest gossips. Clearly, word’s got out that we’re back together.”

“And that’s bad how?”

“You broke my heart then, and when this relationship doesn’t work out, you’ll break my heart again. These people may be weird and quirky, but they protect their own.”

He turned to her for the briefest moment and smiled. “Then I guess I’ll have to win them over. I think it’s a good thing that they already know because we don’t have to make a public announcement or something.”

“Oh, believe me, this isn’t over. Just wait and see.”

***

When they arrived at Rory’s home, the weather suddenly mirrored Logan’s sombre mood. The clouds came out and sky became overcast. He shivered involuntarily as his nerves got the better of him.

“C’mon,” Rory said as she took his hand in hers, squeezing it. “You’ll be fine, you’ve done this before. I’ll be here with you the whole time.”

He kissed her tenderly as they reached the front door. “Here goes nothing,” he said as he rang the doorbell.

He heard barking from inside the house accompanied by shuffling footsteps. In a moment, Luke opened the door.

“Rory,” he said as he hugged her. “It’s good to see you. How are you doing?”

“Fine, Luke, I’ve been eating healthy, if that’s what you’re worried about. Logan made sure of that. You remember Logan?”

“How could I forget.” He eyed Logan uncertainly but took his hand to shake. “C’mon in, have a seat.”

“So, how was your honeymoon?”

“Great. I convinced your mom to go snorkelling. I have pictures as proof. I’ll go get your mom.”

They sat together at the sofa as Luke bounded off to get Lorelai. Paul Anka sat on the coffee table in front of them, begging for attention.

“I’m glad he didn’t punch me or anything,” Logan whispered to Rory.

“Relax, I’ve got you,” she said and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“So, you’re both here,” Lorelai said without even a greeting.

“Hi, Mom.”

Both Rory and Logan stood up from the sofa. Rory gave her mother a hug while Logan froze in place.

“I’m going to make breakfast.” Luke disappeared into the kitchen, not wanting to be a part of the awkwardness.

“How have you been, kiddo? I hope your morning sickness isn’t getting worse.” She sat in a chair kitty-corner to them. She still refused to look at Logan.

“It’s been manageable, Mom. Logan’s been taking good care of me, bringing me crackers in bed, making sure I move slowly when I get up.” She squeezed Logan’s arm.

“Yeah, it’s under control,” he said nervously.

Lorelai finally made eye contact with him. “So, you now know about the situation.” Her words were cold and calculating.

“Yes, and I’m glad I know. Look, Lorelai, I’m sorry I did this to Rory, but I don’t regret that we’re having a baby.”

“Well, it’s not entirely your fault,” Rory chimed in.

He took her hand in his. “You don’t have to defend me, Ace.” He kissed her hand. “Lorelai, I’ll take full responsibility for my actions. I’m going to take care of Rory and the baby. I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but I love her and the baby very much.”

“That’s easy to say.”

“Mom!”

“No, Rory, it’s all right,” Logan said. “I understand how your mom feels.”

“Do you, now?” Lorelai looked daggers at Logan and he cringed.

“I really am sorry,” he said again.

“Mom, he really is,” Rory was almost in tears.

Logan kissed her on the temple and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay, Ace.” She laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed quietly while he consoled her.

Lorelai watched them while this was happening. It continued for a few minutes until Rory spoke.

“I’m sorry, pregnancy hormones,” Rory said apologetically.

Lorelai shrugged. “Been there, done that. What are your plans?”

Rory squeezed Logan’s hand, and he understood that she wanted him to remain quiet. “As you can see, we’re back together. We’re taking it one day at a time.”

Logan nodded. He wanted to say that he would marry Rory in a heartbeat, but he was sure it wasn’t what Rory or Lorelai wanted to hear, so he kept silent.

Lorelai sighed. “Look, I can’t stop you two from being together, you’re both adults. Rory, I only ask that you guard your heart. You’re my only child, I love you very much. I can’t stand seeing you unhappy.” She took a deep breath. “Logan, you know I’m not your biggest fan, but it seems that my daughter can't quit you. I hope that you’ll treasure her and what you have together for a long time, if not for a lifetime.”

“Mom, are you saying that you’ll give Logan a chance?”

“For your sake, yes. But you know that it’s really not my place to decide. You’re the one who has to give him a chance.”

Logan could see the sincerity in Lorelai’s eyes.

“Thank you,” he said quietly.

Rory was crying softly as she threw her arms around her mom.

“Sorry, pregnancy hormones,” she said.

“Mommy’s here, kiddo.” That made Rory laugh. The two Lorelais looked at each other in the eye. “Hey, kid, at least now I’m a hundred percent sure that I’m not going to have ugly grandchildren.” They laughed and even Logan managed a smile. “Maybe my mom will even get her wish of blond-haired, blue-eyed great-grandchildren.”

“Breakfast is ready,” Luke interrupted.

Logan let the women pass him as they all headed to the kitchen. Before he went in himself, Luke pulled him aside.

“Logan, I’m relieved that Rory told you about her pregnancy. Believe me when I say that I know the feeling of being kept in the dark. I didn’t know I had a daughter until she showed up out of the blue when she was twelve. I’m glad that won’t be happening to you. It’s a terrible thing.”

“Thanks, Luke.”

“Just so you know, I’ll hunt you down if you break her heart again.”

“I know you will.”

And with that, they joined the ladies for breakfast.

***

A few days later, Logan found himself in the doctor’s clinic with Rory for her checkup and first ultrasound. The routine tests had gone well, and now, they were only waiting for the ultrasound technician.

Logan was seated by the examination table where Rory was lying down. He couldn’t stop drumming his fingers on his lap. Rory reached out for his hand and squeezed it.

“What are you nervous about?”

“I don’t know. I want everything to be all right.” He smiled sheepishly. “I love you, Ace.”

“I love you, too, Logan. Everything will be fine, I can feel it.”

He got up to kiss her softly on the lips. “We’re going to meet our baby for the first time. I can’t believe it, Ace.”

“I know, isn’t it exciting?” Rory was glowing.

He nodded, smiling at her widely. Just then, the technician arrived.

“Hello, Ms Gilmore, I’m Sophia Vincenzi, I’ll be your ultrasound technician for today. You can call me Sophie.”

“Hello, Sophie. Call me Rory.” They shook hands. “This is Logan.”

“Logan Huntzberger, I’m the boyfriend and the baby’s father.” Logan beamed widely.

“Nice to meet you. Okay, then, I’ll explain everything to you, then we’ll start with the exam.”

***

The technician skilfully manipulated the transducer probe until, suddenly, there it was. The picture on the screen was a bit fuzzy, but Logan could make out a little blob.

“There is your baby, mom and dad,” said the technician.

Logan was fascinated. He couldn’t stop staring at the screen. There he was, his little son. He had a feeling their baby was a boy. Rory was squeezing his hand. He looked at her. Her gaze was transfixed on the screen as well. She had tears in her eyes. In that moment, he felt an overwhelming love for this woman who was carrying his baby.

“This is amazing, Rory.” He kissed her deeply.

“That’s our daughter right there,” she said, smiling widely.

“I beg to differ, that’s our son, you know.”

Sophie laughed. “It’s too early to determine the baby’s sex, guys,” she said.

“Yes, but I have a feeling that the baby is going to be Lorelai IV,” said Rory.

“How much are you willing to bet on that?” joked Logan, his eyes glinting with mischief.

“All the money in my purse plus a million dollars,” Rory retorted.

They both laughed. Logan kissed her again while the technician continued checking the baby.

“All right, everything looks good.” She turned to the expectant parents. “Would you like a photo of your baby?”

“Of course,” said Rory excitedly.

“Please make eight copies, our family might like to have copies of their own, and we’ll need extras just in case we lose some,” added Logan.

“Sure thing. That’s you done, my dear. I’ll leave you to clean up. You can get your photos at the reception area when you’re done here.”

“Thanks,” they both said.

***

Over the past days, they had been busy. Right after Rory’s checkup, they went to Stars Hollow to show Lorelai the baby’s sonogram picture. Rory had let slip at Luke’s Diner that she was pregnant when they were having lunch. Before they left Stars Hollow, surely the whole town knew that they were expecting since Babette and Ms Patty were at the diner when Rory blurted out the truth. Everyone at the diner had congratulated them but when they left Stars Hollow, some of the residents had still given Logan disapproving looks.

The day after that, they had dinner with Honor and her family. She and Rory were in tears when they met each other again. Both were happy to call each other sister even though it was not yet official. Logan’s nieces had warmed up to Rory very well. They were excited to have a cousin in a few months’ time. Before they left, Honor had volunteered to help Rory pick out furniture for Gilmore House and gave her her interior designer’s number. Somehow, Logan knew giving the house a makeover was going to cost him much, but he didn’t care. He wanted Rory to be happy.

Rory still wasn’t up to meeting Logan’s parents, but he gave them a copy of the baby’s first picture when he got some of his things from the Huntzberger mansion.

Christopher also got a copy of the baby’s picture when he visited Rory at Gilmore House. He was more friendly towards Logan that time, thankfully.

Rory finally rang Paris up about the baby. She was upset that Rory didn’t ask her to be her OB-GYN and called Logan London’s favourite whorehound during the call. She reluctantly calmed down when Rory promised that she could be the baby’s godmother.

They visited Emily again, as promised. She was delighted when Logan broke the news that he had bought her old home. She and Rory shared a little cry when Rory showed her the baby’s picture. She was so sad when they were about to leave that Logan assured her they would be spending Christmas with her starting December that year.

Rory and Logan spent their last night together in the master bedroom of Gilmore House. They were almost asleep, Rory’s head resting on Logan’s chest as they snuggled together.

“So, Ace, we’ve each got two copies of the baby picture left. I’m going to put one on my bedside table at the flat in London and the other one at the office. How about you?”

“Same,” she replied sleepily.

“One at the Gazette and one here?”

She turned to him with eyes suddenly awake. “Come to think of it, no. I think I’ll keep one here in the house, and the other, I’ll take with me wherever I go.” She yawned, snuggling back into his chest. “Logan, I’ve been thinking, I’m going to write my book full time.”

“What about the Stars Hollow Gazette?” He stroked her back and kissed her hair.

“I’m going to relinquish control of the paper to the thirty-something gang. They were very helpful when I was away with you. The paper is in good hands.”

“Sounds like a plan, Ace.” He kissed her again. Having her in his arms like this, in their very own bedroom, in their very own house, was perfect.

His thoughts went back to the little velvet box tucked away in his carry-on bag. He should have asked for Lorelai’s permission to marry her this past week.

He felt her breathing even out and knew that she was asleep. Softly, he said to her, “I love you, Rory. I’m going to ask you to marry me, again. I hope you say yes this time.” He kissed her one last time before he went to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! :)


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan is back in London.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Logan was back in London, back to his old life. The two weeks he spent in America with Rory seemed like it happened in an alternate reality. His apartment looked glum when he arrived, but he’d taken some framed photos of Rory back with him, which he scattered all over the apartment. Seeing those photos lifted his spirits up a bit. There was also the photo of his baby, which he could examine for hours without getting bored or tired. Those pictures helped him in his moments of loneliness.

His work was a tedious as ever. His team in London was pretty much a well-oiled machine, but he found out he had to tie some loose ends when he came back. He would have to train a replacement soon. He was not able to discuss with his father his wish for a transfer back to Connecticut or even New York when he was in America. Thankfully, Mitchum was due in London in just a few days. He would tell him then.

The only communication between him and Rory had been through text messages, but on his third day back in London, she surprised him with a call during his lunch break.

“Hey, Ace.”

“Hi, Logan.”

“I miss you so much.” He couldn’t help but smile at hearing her voice.  
Is everything all right?”

“I miss you, too. Everything is fine. I called because I just wanted to hear your voice. Is now a good time?”

“Yup, you caught me during my lunch break.” He took a bite of his pasta salad.

“Good. I’ll remember to call you at this time of day then, whenever I get up early.”

“Yeah, this time is actually perfect for me, but don’t wake up early on my account. You need your rest, so call whenever you want, I don’t mind. Anyway, how’s your book going along?”

“Great. I’m actually in grandpa’s study right now, writing, well, writing before I called you.”

“Is anyone there with you?”

“No.”

“I’d feel better if you brought someone with you there.”

“Don’t worry, Honor and the interior designer will be here with me just before noon. I just squeezed in some work before meeting with them.”

“Ace, did you spend the night alone at Gilmore House?”

“I might have.” He could hear the guilt in her voice.

“Oh, no. Promise me you’ll never do it again. We talked about this, remember? Ask your mom, or Lane, or even Kirk to be with you. I should have gotten you a housekeeper to keep you company while I’m away.”

“Logan, don’t worry. You can’t hire a housekeeper because no one’s living in this house. It’s not even fully furnished yet.” He made to interrupt her, but she pressed on. “Listen, I promise in future, I won’t come here alone or sleep here alone. Is that better?”

“Yeah, just remember to keep your promise.”

“Of course I will.”

“I love you, Rory. I worry about you and the baby constantly. I’m sorry, but I can't help it.”

“I know, I love you, too. Don’t worry about us, we’re fine.”

“Okay, I’ll try not to.”

“Oh, I almost forgot, I sent something in the post for you. It may arrive today.”

“Oh, really? What is it?”

“You’ll know once you open the package.”

“Okay, be mysterious if you want.” Logan laughed.

“I should let you eat your lunch in peace now.”

“I’d rather talk to you than eat, you know.”

“Oh, Huntzberger, you’re hopeless.” He heard her laugh. “I have to go. An idea has suddenly struck me for this chapter I’m writing.”

“Okay, Ace. I love you. Take care!”

“I love you, too. Goodbye, Logan.”

“Goodbye, Ace.” He hung up.

Suddenly, his day seemed more bright and cheery after the phone call from Rory.

***

After a harrowing day in the office, Logan was relieved to have some peace and quiet at last. The maid had left for the night, but he discovered a plate of food for dinner in the oven. After a long day at work, he found out that he enjoyed the few hours of solitude he had.

After he cleaned up in the kitchen, he went upstairs, ready to call it a night. As he was about to turn in, he noticed a long package at the foot of the bed. It must be the package Rory was talking about.

As he unwrapped the box, he had an inkling of what was inside it. He was not disappointed when, underneath all the tissue paper, he uncovered the very same rocket he gave to Rory when he left for London years before. He smiled as he took it out. It was in pristine condition, which made him happy. It was obvious that it meant something to Rory since she took good care of it.

He got his mobile phone and gave her a ring.

“Hello, Logan,” she answered.

“Hey, Ace. Did I catch you on a bad time?”

“No. I just got home from meeting Honor and the interior designer. Did you get the package?”

“Yes, that’s why I called. Thank you. I didn’t know you still had the rocket. I didn’t see it in your room when I stayed with you.”

“Well, I might have dug it up from my Logan boyfriend box.”

“What?” he laughed.

“From the ex-box. I used to have three, but I got rid of the Dean and Jess boxes ages ago.” He could hear her sigh on the line. “Somehow, I couldn’t get rid of your box no matter how much I wanted to.”

They both went quiet for a while. Logan felt a tingle in his spine when he heard her words.

“Thanks for not getting rid of my box. That makes me really happy, Ace.”

“Yeah.”

“Anyway, I’m not one of your exes anymore, am I?”

“Nope, definitely not.”

“How was your day?”

They talked for about an hour over the phone about what needed to be done with Gilmore House, until Rory mentioned that Logan seemed sleepy. He did yawn over the phone twice.

“I’ll say good night now, Logan. Sweet dreams.”

“Wait, don’t hang up yet,” he said frantically. “Do you mean it?”

“Mean what?”

“That you’ll wait for me. That’s what the rocket represents, waiting for your true love.” He held his breath.

“Yes, I do.”

“I love you, Ace.”

“I love you, too. Good night, Logan.”

“Good night, Ace. Take care.”

The line went dead. He heard her sniffling a little before she hung up, but he wasn’t worried. During the phone call, he got affirmation that they were going to be all right. He was hopeful that she was going to say yes once he proposed to her.

***

On Friday afternoon, he found himself sitting with Mitchum in his office, having a drink. They’d just had a successful meeting with new investors and Mitchum was in a good mood.

“Well, son, you actually did it. You made the London office profitable again.”

“Dad, I didn’t do it on my own, I got a lot of help from our London team. We have a hard-working and self-sufficient workforce over here. I can’t ask for better people to work with.”

“You’re right. Maybe it’s time for a big bonus this Christmas for them, what do you think?”

“I think that’s a good idea and it would be well-deserved.”

“Cheers.” They clinked glasses and became quiet for a while, enjoying their drinks.

“Dad—”

“Logan—”

“Go ahead,” Logan said.

“I’ve been wondering, what’s your plan now that you’re back together with Rory with a baby on the way?”

“Funny you should mention it, but I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it.” He took a deep breath. “Would it be possible for me to go back to America? It doesn’t have to be right away.”

Mitchum was quiet for a while. Logan took that as a good sign.

“Hmm. Honestly, I think it’s a good idea for you to go back home. The board is a little bit restless there what with the media climate constantly changing. I think some young blood could appease them, especially since you’re a technology expert.”

“Wow,” Logan was surprised that his father agreed with him. He stared at Mitchum, at a loss for words.

“Don’t act so surprised. It’s time for the next generation of Huntzbergers to take on more responsibilities. I’ll give you eight months to train up your replacement here in London. Would that be enough time?”

“I think it could work, anyway, beggars can't be choosers. I already have someone in mind. Philippa Smithers. She knows this company inside-out.”

“If you say so. I trust your judgment. We’ll make the announcement together on Monday.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“You’re welcome. Don’t get too complacent, though. I’m going to be hard on you once you get back to America. I have to be, if you’re going to take over as CEO of HPG in a few years.”

“What?” Logan was surprised.

“I plan to retire in a couple of years, Logan. I’ll remain as chairman of the board, but I’m passing the CEO baton to you, if I find you satisfactory, that is.”

“Well, I’m going to try my best, Dad.”

“I’m glad we’re finally on the same page, son.” Mitchum clapped Logan’s shoulder.

Logan’s heart swelled with joy. In less than a year, he’ll be back home with Rory, for good. If only she would say yes to his proposal, everything would be perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rocket makes another appearance in this story, just like in Huntzberger Boys.
> 
> Not my best chapter, but I'm a bit distracted right now, sorry. Thanks for reading anyway! :)


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan does something he should have done a long time ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

A month later, Logan found himself in Stars Hollow once more, but this time, he came to talk to the other Lorelai. It was five days before Christmas and Stars Hollow was completely blanketed in snow, making it a winter wonderland. The residents seemed to be channelling the Christmas spirit as the decorations appeared to be impressive for such a small town. They must be running some sort of Christmas contest.

Logan adjusted the presents he was carrying as he rang the doorbell. He heard Paul Anka bark from inside and after a few seconds, Lorelai answered the door.

“Oh, hey, Logan. I wasn’t expecting you,” she said, eyes wide with surprise. “Rory’s not here. Your sister picked her up about an hour ago, they said something about Christmas shopping for the baby. Come in, it’s freezing outside.”

“Thanks.” He went inside, Paul Anka at his heels, wagging his tail. “These are for you, Luke, and Paul Anka, Christmas presents from London.”

“Thank you, you shouldn’t have,” Lorelai said as she helped him put the gifts on a chair in the living room. “No wonder Paul Anka likes you, you keep giving him presents. Have a seat. Do you want something to drink? We have apple cider and hot cocoa, take your pick.”

Lorelai was unusually warm and friendly towards him, but he wasn’t going to complain. The Christmas spirit probably got to her, or maybe Rory was able to put in a good word for him while he was away in London. It was a Christmas miracle.

Logan patted the dog as he sat down on the couch. He cleared his throat. “No, thanks, I’m good. About me being here, I didn’t come to call on Rory. I actually arranged for Honor to get her out of the house so that I can talk to you.”

“Oh.” Lorelai slowly sat down beside him on the couch.

“Yeah,” he rubbed the nape of his neck after he took off his coat and scarf.

“Uh, wait a second, I’m suddenly having déjà vu.”

Logan breathed in deeply. “I have the same feeling.”

After a moment, she said, “Go on, then, talk.”

“Okay. You’ve heard this before, but I’ll say it again. I’m so in love with your daughter, Lorelai. And I’m so in love with our coming baby. I want us to be a proper family. I’m here to ask your permission once again to ask Rory to marry me.”

Lorelai was quiet for a while. She wore the same haunted look on her face when Logan first asked for her blessing to marry Rory. He didn’t know what to think.

“Good luck with that,” she said. The blood drained from Logan’s face and he felt his heart drop to his stomach. Lorelai must have noticed something because she added quickly, “I meant what I said in the sincerest way possible. You don’t exactly have a good track record with proposing to her, do you?”

“You’re right.” Logan let out a nervous laugh. “But I’m going to keep trying until she’ll have me.”

“You’ve always got the moxie, I’ll give you that. My answer is the same as before. I’m not going to stop you from proposing to Rory. Whether she’ll say yes to you or not is all up to her. You have my blessing.”

“Thank you.” He stood up suddenly and Lorelai followed suit. “I should go now, I haven’t a moment to lose.”

“Wait, you’re proposing to Rory today?”

“That’s the plan.”

“A little bit of advice, Logan: Don’t propose to her in a roomful of people. You know how it ended last time.”

He smiled. “I won’t this time. Thanks again,” he said as he put on his coat and scarf and walked to the door.

“Thanks for the Christmas presents. And, Logan,” she called out to him as he descended the porch steps, “Good luck.”

***

He was standing nervously in the piano room of Gilmore House, checking the window every two minutes to see if Rory had arrived. The heady scent of roses was filling his nostrils and contributed to his anxiety-induced nausea. He had never felt more nervous in his life, except perhaps when he first proposed to her.

He heard a car approaching and surreptitiously peeked outside again through the curtains. His heart leapt to his throat when he saw Rory going out the passenger side of Honor’s sleek black Mercedes. He quickly ran to the foyer so she can’t miss him when she opened the front door.

He heard the lock click and the door open, then in a second, the love of his life was before him. He beamed widely at Rory, his anxiety momentarily forgotten.

“Surprise!”

Rory was in shock and stood rooted to the spot for a while, just gawping at him. She looked around her and seemed to finally noticed that the foyer was decorated with dozens of red roses. She let out a cry and threw herself into Logan’s arms.

“Whoa, Ace, you okay there? You gave me such a big tackle.” He hugged her tight.

“I can’t believe you’re here. You told me you wouldn’t be able to come home until Christmas Eve.” She looked into his eyes. “What’s with all the beautiful red roses?”

He gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. “I wanted to surprise you. Can’t a guy give his girlfriend and the future mother of his child a few flowers?” He helped her out of her winter cloak and placed it on the chair near the stairs.

“A few, that’s got to be the understatement of the year.” She laughed. She took his hand and looked around the other rooms, and gasped. “You filled the other rooms with roses, too?”

“Just the downstairs rooms. Do you like it?”

“I love it.” She smiled sweetly at him and gave him a peck on the lips.

“Good, I was hoping you would. I love what you’ve done with the place, by the way. It feels like home now.” He kissed the hand that he was holding and Rory smiled widely at him. “How’s my little baby?” He placed his other hand gently on Rory’s middle.

“As healthy as can be, thank God.” She looked at him, eyes glistening.

“Hey, is something the matter?” He held her in his arms again. He felt her sigh into his jumper.

“No, just the pregnancy hormones, I’m guessing. I’m so happy you’re here.”

“Want to sit down on the sofa? I’ll get you a drink.”

“Okay.”

He got her a club soda and got himself a Macallan. He was beginning to feel anxious again. He deftly pocketed the small velvet box which he hid behind the ice bucket on the drinks trolley.

He handed her her glass and took a sip of his drink to steady his nerves.

“You look tense. Are you all right?”

“What, me? Nah. I mean, I’m fine,” he said. He kept drumming his fingers on his lap. He hoped she didn’t notice the bulge in his trouser pocket.

“Okay,” Rory said uncertainly. “If you say so.” She put her glass on the coffee table.

He suddenly grasped her hands. “Ace, I’ve been meaning to tell you something for a long while.”

“Yeah?” She suddenly looked nervous as well.

“Ace, look at me.” She hesitantly met his gaze, tears beginning to form in her eyes. He kissed her forehead before he continued. “We’ve suffered long enough, Rory. More than nine years ago, our hearts were broken when we split up. Since then, I’ve never felt whole. When we had the Vegas deal, I thought that eventually, I would tire of you, and by then, I’d have closure.” Tears were now streaming down Rory’s cheeks. Logan wiped them dry as he continued to talk. “But I was wrong. When you told me over the phone that we were nothing, I realised that it was the furthest from the truth. You are everything to me. That day in October when we said goodbye was even more unbearable for me. I had my heart broken again, and I know you did, too. It dawned on me on my flight back to London that I had to take control of my own life. I’m sorry, I’m rambling, but I’m so nervous.” Even through her tears, she gave him a small smile and squeezed his hands. “What I’m saying is, I love you. I cannot be whole without you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He released her hands as he knelt down in front of her and brought out the velvet box from his pocket and opened it. She was crying earnestly now, soft sobs escaping her lips. “Rory Gilmore, will you marry me?”

She took the box from him as he waited with bated breath. She examined the ring, then looked at him, awestruck, and smiled.

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is on fast forward now.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a continuation of last chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

Logan couldn’t believe his ears.

“Was that a yes? Did you just say yes?”

“Yes, I did. Yes, I will marry you.” She nodded, a small laugh escaping her lips.

“Wow.” He got up, sat down with her on the sofa, and gave her the warmest and most enthusiastic kiss that he could. She responded eagerly, smiling into their kiss. When they parted, he wiped the remnants of her tears away. “So this is what it feels like to have Rory Gilmore as my fiancée.”

“And what does it feel like?”

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world.” He smiled widely at her.

“I know exactly how you feel.”

He kissed her again, passionately. He then remembered the ring, which she was still holding. He got the blue velvet box from her, took out the ring, and finally slipped it on her finger. It fit perfectly. They both admired it for a while.

“It’s right where it belongs now, Ace,” he said, kissing her temple.

“It’s the same ring from when you proposed before, I recognise it. I can’t believe you kept it all these years, Logan.”

“How could I not? It was the symbol of my one and only true love.”

“I love you, you know that?”

“I know, I love you, too, Ace, so much.” He kissed her tenderly. They spent a quite a few minutes sitting on the sofa, Rory on Logan’s lap, hugging and kissing.

“So, when do we tell our families about our engagement?” Rory said breathlessly after a particularly sensual kiss.

“Hmm. I was thinking tomorrow. Of course, your mom and Honor already have an idea of what was going to happen today.”

“Honor’s not coming back here, is she?”

“No.”

“I assumed that Honor was in on it, but my mom?”

“Yeah. As you guessed correctly, I asked Honor to, by hook or by crook, get you here. After she picked you up, I went to Stars Hollow to ask your mom for permission to marry you. I did that the last time, too.”

“Really? I didn’t know.” She pecked him on the lips.

“Yeah. She was very friendly towards me. How did you work your magic on her?”

“I might have shown her Gilmore House when you were in London. She kind of fell apart when she saw the surprise nursery that you had decorated for me, and she loved all the things that you got for the baby. I think that’s what converted her. That and me putting in a good word for you every once in a while,” she said, her eyes twinkling.

“Thanks, Ace.”

“You’re welcome. Anyway, we’ll tell everyone tomorrow?”

“Yup.”

“Any particular reason why?”

“I thought we should spend the first day as an engaged couple to ourselves. You know, I’m dying to check out what work you had done in the pool house.” He smirked at her and gave her a wink.

“Working blue again, I see.” She rolled her eyes at him but took his hand and led him outside through the snow, a huge grin on her face.

***

Logan suddenly awoke in the middle of the night. He turned in bed and saw Rory peacefully sleeping by his side. He couldn’t help but smile when he remembered that she was his fiancée now. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek, careful not to wake her, then reached for his phone on the bedside table. It was 4 am. Just brilliant! He was still stuck in London time. He slowly got out of bed and changed into his boxer briefs and t-shirt, which were lying on the floor. He gave Rory another kiss and readjusted the covers over her before tiptoeing out of the room.

He sat on the sofa in the living room of the pool house, his phone in his hand. He was on cloud nine right now with how things were between him and Rory, but something was bothering him at the back of his mind. He stared at his phone then opened his contacts. Before he knew it, he was dialling Odette’s number.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Odette, it’s Logan.”

“Oh, why are you calling me?” she said in her French accent.

“Did I catch you in a bad time?”

“No, no, I’m on holiday, but I was going start making breakfast for Fabien. He’s the guy I talked to you about that night we broke up. We’re dating now.”

“Oh, congratulations. Hey, I called to let you know a few things, before you read it in the papers.”

“Is this about your girl?”

“Yes. Her name is Rory. I wanted you to hear it directly from me that I asked her to marry me, and she said yes.”

“Then it should be me who should congratulate you. Congratulations, Logan.”

“Thank you.” He took a deep breath. “Odette, there’s something else I need to tell you.”

“Okay.”

“Rory and I, we’re expecting our first baby.”

“Oh, that was fast.”

“Yeah, it turns out I got her pregnant early this autumn when we spent what we thought was our last night together. Are you going to be okay with this? I just want to be honest with you. I know it’s pretty crazy.”

“Why would I not be okay with it? It is your life. You can choose to spend it with whoever you want, however you want. If you want babies with Rory, then have babies with her. Double congratulations to you.”

“Thank you.” He sighed with relief. “Well, I won’t keep you long from Fabien. You take care, okay?”

“You, too. Bye, Logan.”

“Bye.”

He hung up and suddenly felt a weight off his shoulder.

“Who was that?”

He looked around to see Rory in a dressing gown, her arms crossed on her chest. Had she been there the whole time he was talking to Odette?

“Come sit by me,” he said as he opened his arms out for her. She sat on his lap.

“Who were you talking to at this hour?”

“That was Odette.”

“Oh.”

She looked unsure. He hated seeing her like that, so he gave her a reassuring hug and a tender kiss.

“Ace, I only called to tell her that we’re engaged now and that we’re expecting a baby, just out of courtesy. I wanted her to know it straight from me. Our engagement is bound to be published in the papers any day now, you know. By then, the news might reach her and her family.”

“How did she take it?”

“She was fine with it. She has completely moved on and is with another guy. We never really loved each other in the first place, so …”

“I understand. So, she’s really okay with all this? She’s not going to brand me as a home wrecker?”

“No, she’s really okay with it. She even congratulated me twice.” He gave her a smile and she nodded. “What are you doing up?” He placed a kiss on her forehead.

“I was missing my pillow.” She hugged him.

“Ace, if you wanted me back in your bed, all you had to do was ask.” He smirked at her.

“I swear, Logan, I am not working blue.” She laughed.

“Funny, I’ve heard that countless of times already.”

He carried a giggling Rory bridal-style back to the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought that Logan needed more closure with Odette.
> 
> We are in the final stretch. I might need some time to figure out how this story ends.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of things happen, including a wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls.

They thought that when they got engaged, everything would be easier. They were wrong. True, their respective families were happy when they made the announcement, but them being engaged just unearthed a lot of issues which their families brought to light.

The most pressing of these, according to Mitchum and Emily, was the matter of the prenuptial agreement. Both insisted that Rory and Logan have one. Logan didn’t want to make one, he told his father so, but Mitchum was adamant. In the end, Rory convinced Logan that they let Mitchum and Emily have their way. He only relented because she said that it was just going to be a piece of paper; it wouldn’t control their lives because they weren’t really going to breakup and they weren’t going violate their future marriage vows. What she said gave Logan some peace. It was still a fiasco when they met with their respective lawyers. Mitchum had a team of three lawyers with him and Emily had two. In the middle of the meeting, however, Christopher showed up with his team of five, two of them old friends of Straub, and they drew up even more complicated terms than Mitchum and Emily’s teams. Rory had to fake a headache so that she and Logan could escape the mayhem that ensued. They decided to just sign whatever all the lawyers came up with.

There was also the matter of who would host the wedding. Shira and Emily could not help but look daggers at each other every time the other suggested something or other. In this case, Logan was lucky. He had the excuse of going to work, but poor Rory, she had to be in the middle of everything. Lorelai wisely put her foot down and said that she would not be part of any of it. Honor decided to watch on the sidelines as well. Eventually, it became so stressful for Rory to have her grandma and his mother in the same room that she announced that Kirk would be the one to arrange the whole thing, since he did such a good job with Lorelai and Luke’s wedding. She threatened that if they ever stepped out of line, they would not be invited to the wedding. That finally shut up Shira and Emily. Logan was highly impressed that Rory was able to bring to heel both women.

So, it was decided that they would have a spring wedding.

***

On Valentine’s Day, Logan came home from work to a wonderful surprise. When he came to the upstairs living room of his London flat, he saw Rory on the sofa typing away on her laptop that he had to do a double take.

“Ace?”

“Logan!” Rory exclaimed as she closed her laptop. “You’re early. I was going to throw you an elaborate surprise. I have rose petals, and cake and chocolate-covered strawberries chilling in the fridge.” She pouted.

“I’m sorry, but there was nothing to do at work anymore so I decided to call it a day,” he said, joining her on the sofa and giving her a tender kiss which lasted quite a while, taking both their breaths away. “You being here is a marvellous surprise for me, no matter what.” He hugged her, then bent down to kiss her baby bump. “Hello, my baby. How are you?”

Rory ran her hand through his hair. “She’s doing really well, happy and healthy.”

“And you? Hey, don’t you still believe me that we are having a boy?”

“I feel great,” she said, smiling. “No more morning sickness, not in a long while. We'll see who wins the bet.”

“Brilliant, I could use a million dollars. So, now that I ruined the surprise, what do you want to do tonight? Do you want to go out to the family restaurant?”

She hugged him. “No, I think I just want to stay at home and talk.”

“I hope you have more than talking in mind.” He raised his eyebrows at her.

She laughed. “Maybe later, if you behave.” She kissed his cheek.

“I heard you put your foot down regarding the wedding.”

“Yup. I had to, Grandma and your mom were trying to take over everything. Everything’s decided now, we’ll have the wedding at the Dragonfly in the spring.”

“Have you decided on the date yet?”

“Yeah. It has to be on the 28th of May.” 

“Sounds great.”

She looked hard at him. “You don’t remember, do you?” she said with wide unbelieving eyes.

Uh-oh. Was he in trouble? “Umm, remember what?” He loosened his tie, his brows furrowing.

She rolled her eyes, then kissed him on the lips. “Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble.”

“I’m glad,” he said as he pecked her on the lips. “Care to explain, though?”

“My graduation from Yale was on the 28th.” Clarity dawned on his face. “It was the day I turned down your proposal. I want to erase that painful memory and replace it with a happy one instead.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“I think it’s brilliant, Ace.” He kissed her deeply, the warmth of her lips warming his soul. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Now,” he said, getting up and helping her up, “let’s get this show on the road. What are we having for Valentine’s Day dinner?”

“It’s a surprise,” she said as she led him downstairs to the kitchen.

***

The Valentine’s Day surprise was bigger than Logan expected. Imagine his delight when she told him that she was staying with him for a month.

They had a wonderful time in London, revisiting their favourite haunts. During the day, Logan would go to the office and Rory would work on her book. At night, they would go out to dinner, catch a play on West End, or just watch a movie at the cinema. On the weekends, they would go visit the countryside just to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Life was good. Logan imagined that if they were to stay in London, it wouldn’t be too bad.

The run-up to Logan’s move back to Hartford was taking a little toll on the London office, especially since the office fell victim to a horrible epidemic of the flu. With their manpower down to almost half, Rory stepped in to save the day. She wrote some articles for HPG’s various English papers, desked for the features section, and even had a hand at editing that Mitchum, who happened to be there at the time, offered her a job on the spot. Rory politely declined, saying that nepotism is a big no-no in her book. Mitchum however told her that it was a standing offer, if ever she got tired of being an author. Rory promised she would pitch in whenever there was an emergency, saying Logan did the same thing for her in their Yale Daily News days. Logan couldn’t be more proud of Rory than during that time. She saved his ass.

Everything in the London office went back to normal once the people got over their illness. Before he knew it, it was time for Rory to move back to Connecticut. He was going to surprise by going home with her for her final ultrasound checkup.

***

“Oh, God. All I want to do is crawl into bed with you and sleep for an eternity,” said Logan, moaning as he crashed on the sofa of their Hartford home.

“You and me both, but come, Logan, get ready. We have the ultrasound appointment in an hour. Aren’t you excited to find out the sex of the baby?” she said, standing before him.

Rory was around five months pregnant now. What good timing to have the appointment just hours after they arrived from London.

“I know he’s a boy, give it up, Ace,” he joked.

She pouted. “You just want to win a million dollars.”

“You know me so well,” he said as he grabbed her by the hips and kissed her baby bump. She gently ran her hand on his hair.

“Logan, what if I told you that I want the sex of the baby to be a surprise?”

He brought her down to sit on the sofa with him.

“You mean, you’d rather not know right now?”

She nodded.

He smiled at her. “Okay, I can wait until the baby is born.” He kissed her tenderly. “I’ll wait with you, if that’s what you really want.”

“It is,” she said, kissing him.

“Okay, it’s settled then. Now, what say you to joining me in the shower?” He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She laughed. “Dirty,” she said as she smacked him on the arm.

***

Their wedding day finally came, on a bright and sunny spring day. They thought that they would have to cancel their outdoor wedding since in the days preceding it, storm clouds had been hovering over Stars Hollow. Thankfully, the sun made her appearance on the momentous day. 

Kirk did a terrific job of decorating the the expansive well-manicured lawn of the Dragonfly Inn. The overall look was similar to Lorelai’s decorations, but instead of the autumnal colours courtesy of various flowers, he went for white and red roses this time, with lots of green provided by the potted orange trees that he somehow managed to acquire. They filled the air with a sweet citrus scent.

It was a simple wedding, by Huntzberger and Gilmore standards, that is. They invited only family and intimate friends, however, most of Stars Hollow also showed up for the event.

The ceremony was traditional, but other than that, they broke the rules and protocol of a conventional New England wedding. For starters, both the bride and groom had two maids-of-honour and best men. Rory asked both Lane and Paris to be her chief bridesmaids while Logan had both Colin and Finn as his best men. Paul Anka was the ringbearer, who was guided by Luke when he walked down the aisle with the rings in the small basket that he carried with his mouth.

The most surprising and also quite an emotional moment of the wedding was when Christopher, who had appeared with Rory at the far end of the aisle, hurriedly ran towards Lorelai, who was seated on the front row. He declared that she should also be given the privilege of walking Rory down the aisle, since she almost singlehandedly raised Rory from day one. Tears were shed by most of the guests, especially the women, when the bride was escorted by both parents towards the groom.

The moment Logan saw Rory walking in his direction, he couldn’t breathe. He thought that Rory looked even more beautiful than she ever did in his eyes, with her simple white wedding dress that showed off her very pregnant belly. Her hair, which was adorned with white angel’s breath, shone auburn in the early afternoon sun. His heart was filled with so much joy and love as he looked at the woman he would marry, the woman he would spend the rest of his life with. His cheeks hurt from smiling, but his eyes were pricking with tears at the same time.

They finally reached him. He managed to give Lorelai a hug and shake Christopher’s hand even though all his attention was on Rory. She was glowing, baby bump and all, her eyes already glistening with a hint of tears. Happy tears, he knew. He wanted to kiss her, but took her hand instead as they faced the minister.

He could only remember snippets of the ceremony afterwards: how happy he felt when Rory said ‘I do’, the way their hands trembled with excitement as they slid their wedding bands on each other’s ring fingers, the softness of Rory’s lips as he finally kissed her, how everyone cheered as he kissed her very pregnant belly afterwards. He thought those were the most important moments, and they were etched forever in his memory.

It took a long time for them to take all the wedding pictures since they had to take some with a few of the Stars Hollow residents apart from their friends and family. All the pictures taken would probably fill several photo albums if they went old school. Logan planned to surprise Rory with a wedding book and DVD instead, which should be finished and ready by the time they returned from their honeymoon.

The wedding reception was held in the adjoining field. Huge tents were erected which housed the countless tables for the guests. The tables were decorated with red and white roses and orange blossoms. Fairy lights were hung, creating a ceiling of light inside the tents mimicking the stars in the night sky. There was a wooden dance floor in the middle where Rory and Logan would share their first dance as a married couple.

Sookie baked the cake, of course. It had a traditional design, with criss-cross patterns on the white icing and small pink chocolate roses dotted here and there. The quirky part of the cake was the figurines of the bride and groom. Instead of white, the bride figurine was wearing a blue dress, and both figurines carried black umbrellas with them. They were holding hands. Logan saw Rory tear up when she saw the cake. Written on the last tier in blue icing was ‘You jump, I jump, Jack’. The cake had been Logan’s wedding surprise for Rory.

They had their first dance to Sparks by ColdPlay. They danced with Rory leaning sideways into him, her head on his shoulder.

“Does this song make you sad?” he asked as he swayed them to the music.

“Me, feel sad on my wedding day? No. I don’t think anything will make me sad today.” She burrowed deeper into his shoulder.

“Thank God. I chose this song because it sums up perfectly how I feel about you.” He smiled as she looked up at him.

The song was coming to an end.

“I still see sparks, you know. And I promise you I will try my best not to let you down ever again.”

“Since when did you become such a hopeless romantic, Huntzberger?” she teased.

“I don’t know, Huntzberger,” he said, smiling as he reminded her that she was now a Huntzberger, too. “All I know is I love you so much, Ace.”

“And I you.”

He leaned down to capture her lips with his own in a sweet tender kiss.

After their dance, it was time for dinner. Rory and Logan both said their thanks to the wedding party in their welcome address, then toasts were made to them and their health by the chief bridesmaids and groomsmen. Colin was surprisingly eloquent, Finn funny and just a bit crazy, Paris almost delivered a full-on rant, and Lane’s speech was short and sweet.

They dined, they danced, they cut their wedding cake, and in no time at all, the wedding reception was coming to a close. Rory threw her bouquet, which was caught by Paris. Doyle pretty much gave her a smug smile, since he caught the garter. Logan spied them having the last dance with each other before he and Rory sneaked off to their waiting limousine that would take them to Martha’s Vineyard.

“Did you have fun?” Logan asked when they were on their way to their honeymoon destination.

“Yes, I had the best time.” She leaned up to kiss him. He had his arms wrapped around her, his hands gently caressing her baby bump.

“My only regret is leaving early and not seeing Finn make a fool of himself.”

“I thought the party was winding down when we left.”

“Oh, believe me, Ace, the party has just begun. Colin and Finn were planning the after party when we were planning the wedding. Finn’s going to try to get with Rosemary, again.”

“I’m just glad their was no sub-party at our wedding.”

They laughed. They talked a lot afterwards. Somehow, the four-hour journey seemed to pass in no time.

***

It was almost 2 am when they found themselves standing in front of the main door of the Huntzbergers’ Martha’s Vineyard vacation home. Logan turned to Rory with a sheepish smile on his face.

“I know I’m supposed to carry you bridal style over the threshold, but I figured I’d rather not. I don’t want to risk you getting injured, Ace.” Rory raised her eyebrows. Logan’s eyes went wide and he quickly added, “Not that I’m saying you’re heavy or anything; I think you look perfect and beautiful.” He kissed her heatedly before she could protest.

When the kiss ended, she laughed. “It’s all right, Logan. You have to carry me. C’mon, let’s go inside, I’m starving.”

He smirked as he opened the door. He heard her gasp in delight. The house was transformed into a romantic getaway, with soft lighting provided by candles, a lingering scent of vanilla in the air, and red rose petals strewn on the floor and furniture.

“What do you think? Passable? I would have taken you somewhere more romantic, like the south of France, but we can’t travel by plane because of our bundle of joy.”

“It’s lovely, Logan, just perfect. You don’t have to take me to far off places, I’m just happy to spend some alone time with you,” Rory said tearfully as she captured his lips with her own.

“I’m glad to hear that, Ace.” He gave her a smack on the lips. “Now, go on, make yourself comfortable on the sofa. I’ll get us something to eat. I’m happy we changed into our pyjamas before starting the trip.” They were dressed in matching cotton pyjamas with milk and cookie prints.

“The photographer got a lot of pictures of us in them, too, those will make for some interesting wedding photos.”

“I think they’ll make our kids laugh when they see them in the future. I’d like that, make them laugh.”

They both smiled at each other widely. Logan gave her one more kiss before going to the kitchen to get some food.

When he came back with a cheese board and some sparkling apple cider, the sight that greeted him filled his heart with mirth and laughter. Rory had fallen asleep, hugging a throw pillow.

He put the food and drinks down on the coffee table and joined her on the sofa. She swapped the pillow for him, hugging him tightly in her sleep as he put his arms around her and kissed her temple.

He couldn’t believe she fell asleep on him on their wedding night. He took some selfies for evidence. No matter, that was another funny story to tell the kids when they were much older.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter.
> 
> I have the last couple of chapters planned out in my head, but sadly, I haven't written them yet. It might take a while for me to update the story.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A baby is born!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Gilmore Girls, Game of Thrones, or Grey's Anatomy.

The plane finally landed on the runway of Bradley International Airport. Logan was lucky that Colin’s private plane was available at such a short notice and that he managed to get clearance to fly to America. All throughout the flight, he couldn’t calm his jittery nerves.

His phone had rung in the middle of the night, Rory’s contact flashing through the screen. He had smiled before answering, thinking he was going to get badgered into watching the Game of Thrones Season 7 worldwide premiere. He was boggled when he heard Lorelai answer his hello.

“Logan, you had better try your best to get a flight out of London. Rory’s going to have the baby,” she said in a rush.

After reassurances that Rory was doing fine and a quick hello to his wife, he had scrambled out of their London flat in less than fifteen minutes in the dead of night and came barrelling through London City Airport, barely noticing the bewildered looks of the people around him. It turned out that his clothes were rumpled and mismatched. He didn’t care, though. In a few hours, if everything went smoothly, God willing, he was going to be a father.

***

“Calm yourself, mate. Here, have a drink,” said Finn as he handed him a glass of something amber.

Finn had picked him up from the airport in his party limo, as he called it. They were now making their way to Hartford Grace Hospital where Rory was due to give birth any second now.

“I can’t have that,” he said as he shoved the glass back at Finn. “I’m going to be a father. Oh God! I’m going to be a father! I’m not ready for this. I don’t want to mess my kid up.”

“Shush! It’s a little bit late in the game, isn’t it, Logan? Anyway, that’s just your nerves talking. I’m sure Rory would never allow you to mess up this kid, he or she is hers as well. I can’t believe you never caved on knowing the baby’s sex.” He shook his head. “Deep breaths, mate.”

He did as Finn told him, and after a couple of deep breaths, he was feeling better.

“Thanks, Finn.”

“It’s all right. Here we are, Hartford Grace. I think we arrived just in time.”

Indeed, the limo had stopped. Logan hardly paid any attention to where they were going the entire car ride to the hospital. He seemed to be doing that a lot recently, well, ever since that phone call from Lorelai telling him to get his butt back in America.

“Logan, c’mon,” said Finn as he held the door open for him.

He blinked as the sun’s harsh rays reached his eyes. He had no idea what time it was, everything happened in a rush to him. To top it all off, his legs somehow turned to jelly. Finn shook his head as he pulled him out of the car and dragged him inside the hospital.

“Mate, someday, you’re going to have to return this favour.”

***

“Rory!” Logan shouted, rushing to her side, surprised to find his legs functioning normally again. “I’m here, my love. I made it.”

Rory turned to him with a look of surprise, eyes wide, her lips almost forming into a smile before it contorted along with the rest of her face in pain.

“What’s wrong?” he asked breathlessly as he kissed her temple, taking one of her hands, the one without the IV line attached to it, in his.

She squeezed his hand with a strength he never knew she possessed and he yelped in pain. He let her continue squeezing his hand anyway. It was a couple of minutes before she answered him.

“Logan, you’re here!” She smiled, her eyes looking tired as she focused on him. He gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. “Sorry about your hand. I had a particularly painful contraction.”

“It’s okay, Ace, you can squeeze my hand all you want. Are you okay? Is the baby okay?”

He looked around the room, noticing for the first time that they were not alone. Lorelai was there, as well as Emily, and surprisingly, Christopher. A nurse was also there, checking on Rory, and she smiled and nodded at him.

“Hey.” Lorelai waved at him in greeting. “Glad you could make it, buddy.”

“Where’s everyone else?” he asked, noting that none of his family was present. “I brought Finn along with me.”

The Aussie, who had been quiet this whole time, waved at everyone in the room.

“You’re looking at the only people who aren’t squeamish enough to avoid this room. Apparently, your father bullied someone important in the hospital to let the rest of the party stay in another private room, without a patient, mind you. I’m convinced he has evil mind control powers or something,” said Lorelai.

“If that’s the case, I’m going to find the other people in this party. Good luck, mates!” He smiled and winked at both Rory and Logan.

“Glad you could make it, Finn,” Rory called after his retreating form.

Logan allowed himself a laugh before focusing his attention back to his wife. He smoothed her hair away from her face and gave her a small smile.

“I love you.”

“And I love yoouuuuu!” she cried out the last word as another contraction racked her body.

“Breathe, honey,” Logan coached, trying to soothe his wife.

“Okay, dear, it’s time. I’m going to call Dr. Mansfield now,” the nurse said as she moved to go.

“Oh my, isn’t this exciting,” said Emily, beaming happily at her granddaughter and Logan.

“It sure is,” Christopher said, although somewhat nervously.

Lorelai, Christopher, and Emily moved closer to them and gave Rory kisses on her forehead.

“Okay, okay, don’t crowd her. Let’s give them some room,” Lorelai ordered and the three of them retreated to the far side of the room.

Christopher whipped out a digital camera.

“You don’t mind me recording this for posterity’s sake, do you, kiddo? I can’t believe I’ll be a granddad very soon.”

“No, Dad, but please don’t film anything unsightly, if you know what I mean.” She gasped as another contraction took hold of her. Logan kissed her temple to offer his support.

“Don’t worry about it, kiddo.”

In a few moments, the doctors and the rest of the team arrived. Everyone shuffled to make everything ready for the delivery.

“Hello, mom and dad. Are we ready to deliver this baby?” Dr. Mansfield asked cheerily.

They both nodded, then smiled at each other and shared a sweet kiss.

“This is it, Logan.”

“There’s no turning back now, Ace.”

And so it began.

***

After almost an hour of Rory quietly cursing Logan and pushing, they were finally rewarded with a lusty cry. Logan thought that it was the most beautiful sound in the world. He looked at Rory with tears in his eyes, finding hers red-rimmed with happy tears as well.

“Say hello to your baby,” Dr. Mansfield said as she lifted the newborn for the parents to see.

Logan’s eyes scanned the baby quickly, noting from the corner of his eye that Rory was doing the same. He heard her gasp. Okay, ten fingers, ten toes, and a . . .

“It’s a boy, Ace. We have a baby boy!” said Logan quietly, mesmerised. When he finally peeled his eyes from his son, he looked at his wife with wonder and so much adoration. She was smiling widely, her eyes still watery with tears. “You did so well, you were so brave and calm. I love you so much.” He gave her an affectionate kiss.

The doctor placed the baby on Rory’s chest and helped Logan in cutting the cord. A couple of minutes later, one of the nurses cleaned the newborn up after he was examined by the paediatrician, then put him in a nappy with Logan watching, placed a knitted hat on his head, and wrapped him with a warm baby blanket. She handed him to Logan, who kissed his brow softly before placing him back on Rory's chest for her to hold.

Rory was captivated by the small, squirming bundle on her chest and Logan gazed at his wife and son lovingly. This moment was perfect.

She looked at him, and in that instant, no one else existed in his universe. It was just his little family.

“We did it, Logan. He’s finally here.”

***

It was now a few hours after his son was born. It had been a madhouse in their private room right after the birth. When Rory and the baby were finally given a clean bill of health by their respective doctors, their family and friends had buzzed around them like a swarm of bees, taking pictures, congratulating them, and taking turns holding the new addition. They were both so happy that they didn’t mind the chaos, but after a while, exhaustion set in. All three of them had naps, although that’s what mostly what their baby did anyway. After some hours of much needed rest, Logan woke up to find their little family alone.

Rory was sitting on the bed, gently patting their son’s back, coaxing him to burp. She gave Logan a small smile when she saw that he was awake.

“How long have you been up?” He blinked the sleep from his eyes.

“Not very long. I had to feed the baby.”

“How are you feeling? Are you well? Are you hungry? You can sleep some more if you want, I can take care of the baby.”

“I feel great, actually. Thanks for the concern, Logan. I think I can sit with my boys for a while.” She flashed him a brilliant smile.

He moved to sit beside her on the bed as she adjusted their son in her arms and gave his tiny nose a little kiss.

“He’s beautiful,” he said, giving Rory a tender kiss on the lips and putting his arms around her. He kissed the baby’s forehead afterwards.

She gave him a loving gaze before turning her attention back to their baby. “He looks like you.”

His heart filled with so much joy at what she said. He thought so, too. Even his father had commented that their newborn looked just like him when he was a baby, promising to bring his baby pictures the next time they visit.

“Have you decided what to name him yet?” he asked with a smile. “Is he a Richard?” They had both agreed on the name Richard, if it was a boy, a few weeks before the baby was born, but Rory did say that she was not 100% sure about it. “Or is he a Jon Snow?” he teased.

“Haha! I missed the Game of Thrones premiere because of him. We’ll have to watch it later.” She laughed. Seriously, she added, “I don’t know about Richard,” she replied, her brows furrowing, then she peered at him with a twinkle in her eye. Finally, she said, “He looks like a Logan to me.”

Logan’s grin got wider. “Wow! You’d name our son after me?” His voice broke. “You must love me a lot.”

“I thought that was obvious,” she rolled her eyes at him good-naturedly, but she nodded. “Logan Richard Huntzberger. What do you think?”

He looked at the baby, who opened his slate grey eyes for a little while. “I like it. I think your grandfather would approve, too.” To the baby, he said, “Hello, little Logan.” Little Logan curled the tiny fingers of one hand on Logan’s index finger, which made both his parents grin from ear to ear.

“I’m thinking we can call him LJ, short for Logan Junior, to avoid any confusion between you two. Or we can call him LL for Little Logan, if you would prefer that.”

“I like LJ better, Ace. Let’s call him that.” He brushed his lips on his wife’s again before talking to the baby. “Hello, little LJ. I love you.”

Rory smiled. “And I love you both,” she said.

“I love you so much, Ace.”

He hugged Rory warmly as they continued to stare at the miracle that was their newborn son. At the moment, everything was right in the universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, beautiful people! Remember me? Sorry for the late update, you know, life, it happens. By the way, Happy New Year to everyone!
> 
> Additional facts: Rory and Logan's son was born on 17 July, the day after the Game of Thrones S7 premiere. Hartford Grace Hospital was named after Seattle Grace Hospital from Grey's Anatomy.
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter. It has been on my mind for quite some time, but I never put it into words until now. I do intend to finish this story (only the epilogue left), but I don't know when I can update again. Sorry in advance.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading! :)

**Author's Note:**

> The chapters are going to be of different lengths because I started writing this as one continuous story, then I chopped it off into separate chapters.
> 
> Thanks for reading! :)


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